@article{fdi:010037605,
  title = {{R}apid effects of plant species diversity and identity on soil microbial communities in experimental grassland ecosystems},
  author = {{L}oranger-{M}erciris, {G}ladys and {B}arthes, {L}. and {G}astine, {A}. and {L}eadley, {P}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{C}hanges in plant community structure, including the loss of plant diversity may affect soil microbial communities. {T}o test this hypothesis, plant diversity and composition were experimentally varied in grassland plots cultivated with monocultures or mixtures of 2, 3 or 4 species. {W}e tested the effects of monocultures versus mixtures and of plant species composition on culturable soil bacterial activity, number of substrates used and catabolic diversity, microbial biomass {N}, microbial respiration, and root biomass. {T}hese properties were all measured 10 months after seeding the experiment. {S}oil bacterial activity, number of substrates used and catabolic diversity were measured in the different plant communities using {BIOLOG} {GN} and {GP} microplates, which are redox-based tests measuring capacity of soil culturable bacteria to use a variety of organic substrates. {M}icrobial biomass {N}, microbial respiration, and root biomass were insensitive to plant diversity. {C}ulturable soil microbial activity, substrates used and diversity declined with declining plant diversity. {T}heir activity, number of substrates used and diversity were significantly higher in plots with 3 and 4 plant species than in monocultures and in plots with 2 species. {T}here was also an effect of plant species composition. {C}ulturable soil microbial activity and diversity was higher in the four-species plant community than in any of the plant monocultures suggesting that the effect of plant diversity could not be explained by the presence of a particular plant species. {O}ur results showed that changes in plant diversity and composition in grassland ecosystems lead to a rapid response of bacterial activity and diversity. (c) 2006 {E}lsevier {L}td. {A}ll rights reserved.},
  keywords = {bacterial activity ; bacterial diversity ; {BIOLOG} ; grasslands ; microbial biomass ; microbial respiration ; plant species diversity},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{S}oil {B}iology and {B}iochemistry},
  volume = {38},
  numero = {8},
  pages = {2336--2343},
  ISSN = {0038-0717},
  year = {2006},
  DOI = {10.1016/j.soilbio.2006.02.009},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010037605},
}