@article{fdi:010097459,
  title = {{T}rade-offs between soil biodiversity and agricultural expansion : evidence from litter decomposition dynamics in {M}adagascar},
  author = {{S}auvadet, {M}. and {B}a, {S}eydina {M}ohamad and {R}azafindrakoto, {M}. and {R}azafimbelo, {T}. {M}. and {R}azafimanantsoa, {M}. {P}. and {B}ouvet, {J}. {M}. and {L}eong {P}ock {T}sy, {J}. {M}. and {T}rap, {J}ean and {B}ouillet, {J}. {P}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{H}ome-{F}ield {A}dvantage ({HFA}) theory-positing that litter decomposes faster at its site of origin-allows us to disentangle the respective influences of litter quality, soil biota composition, and microclimate on shifts in litter decomposition following land use conversion. {H}owever, {HFA} remains poorly understood in tropical ecosystems with nutrient-poor soils. {W}e conducted a full in situ litterbag transplant experiment across land use conversion driven by agricultural expansion in {M}adagascar: secondary natural forests, two stages of slash-and-burn fallows, and {E}ucalyptus plantations. {L}itter mass loss, {HFA} and {F}unctional {B}readth ({FB})-defined as the capacity of soil biota to decompose different litter types with varying properties at similar rates-was assessed to distinguish the influence of the whole soil food web (coarse mesh) versus micro- and mesofauna-driven processes (fine mesh). {T}hese indicators were compared across land uses in relation to soil properties, litter quality, and soil biota composition. {F}orested land uses had lower microbial alpha-diversity but a higher proportion of specialist taxa than fallows. {N}atural forests showed markedly higher nematode and macrofauna alpha-diversity, as well as a greater proportion of omnivores and predator taxa, than all the other land uses. {L}itter decomposition was higher in natural forests, for both litterbag mesh sizes, during the early stage of decomposition, leading to higher {FB}, but no evidence of {HFA} effects was observed. {C}onversely, higher {FB} in natural forests and positive {HFA} in {E}ucalyptus plantations were observed at the late stage of decomposition, but only in coarse-mesh litterbags. {T}his suggests that the decline in ecosystem functioning following forest conversion is linked to the loss of larger-sized macrofauna. {T}herefore, while {E}ucalyptus plantations caused less disturbance to microbial communities and early-stage decomposition processes than slash-and-burn fallows, they may not fully replace the multiple ecological roles of native forests, particularly for the functions requiring more specialised organisms and taxa.},
  keywords = {deforestation ; eucalyptus plantations ; functional breadth ; home field ; advantage ; litter decomposition ; slash-and-burn agriculture ; soil fauna ; {MADAGASCAR}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{F}unctional {E}cology},
  volume = {[{E}arly {A}ccess]},
  numero = {},
  pages = {[15 p.]},
  ISSN = {0269-8463},
  year = {2026},
  DOI = {10.1111/1365-2435.70377},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010097459},
}