163 research outputs found
Soil fungi and nitrogen cycling : causes and consequences of changing fungal biomass in grasslands
Get PDFThis thesis focuses on the interaction between fungi and the nitrogen cycle in grassland soils, and attempts to unravel causes and consequences of changing fungal biomass
Schimmels helpen bij vermindering van mestgift. Interview nav promotie Fransiska de Vries
No full textPractical use of a hydrological model for peatlands in Borneo; modelling the Sungai Sebangau catchment in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
No full textThe value and vulnerability of tropical peatlands is nowadays widely recognised. To increase knowledge of the hydroloy of peat swamp forests and to promote sustainable management model studies can be a useful tool. In this study the Sebangau catchment in Kalimantan, Indonesia, is modelled in SIMGRO. By means of model input geohydrological data for the area were integrated. Model calculations give an impression of the spatial distrubution of groundwater levels and of fluctuations throughout the years. Further refining of the model however is a requisite to make the model suitable for simulation of landuse scenarios
Going underground: root traits as drivers of ecosystem processes
No full textEcologists are increasingly adopting trait-based approaches to understand how community change influences ecosystem processes. However, most of this research has focussed on aboveground plant traits, whereas it is becoming clear that root traits are important drivers of many ecosystem processes, such as carbon (C) and nutrient cycling, and the formation and structural stability of soil. Here, we synthesise emerging evidence that illustrates how root traits impact ecosystem processes, and propose a pathway to unravel the complex roles of root traits in driving ecosystem processes and their response to global change. Finally, we identify research challenges and novel technologies to address them
Plant root exudation under drought: implications for ecosystem functioning
No full textRoot exudates are a pathway for plant–microbial communication and play a key role in ecosystem response to environmental change. Here, we collate recent evidence that shows that plants of different growth strategies differ in their root exudation, that root exudates can select for beneficial soil microbial communities, and that drought affects the quantity and quality of root exudation. We use this evidence to argue for a central involvement of root exudates in plant and microbial response to drought and propose a framework for understanding how root exudates influence ecosystem form and function during and after drought. Specifically, we propose that fast-growing plants modify their root exudates to recruit beneficial microbes that facilitate their regrowth after drought, with cascading impacts on their abundance and ecosystem functioning. We identify outstanding questions and methodological challenges that need to be addressed to advance and solidify our comprehension of the importance of root exudates in ecosystem response to drought
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