title: Convergence of soil microbial properties after plant colonization of an experimental plant diversity gradient.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several studies have examined the effects of plant colonization on aboveground communities and processes. However, the effects of plant colonization on soil microbial communities are less known. We addressed this gap by studying effects of plant colonization within an experimental plant diversity gradient in subplots that had not been weeded for 2 and 5 years. This study was part of a long-term grassland biodiversity experiment (Jena Experiment) with a gradient in plant species richness (1, 2, 4, 8, 16, and 60 sown species per plot). We measured plant species richness and productivity (aboveground cover and biomass) as well as soil microbial basal respiration and biomass in non-weeded subplots and compared the results with those of weeded subplots of the same plots.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 2 and 5 years of plant colonization, the number of colonizing plant species decreased with increasing plant diversity, i.e., low-diversity plant communities were most vulnerable to colonization. Plant colonization offset the significant relationship between sown plant diversity and plant biomass production. In line with plant community responses, soil basal respiration and microbial biomass increased with increasing sown plant diversity in weeded subplots, but soil microbial properties converged in non-weeded subplots and were not significantly affected by the initial plant species richness gradient.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Colonizing plant species change the quantity and quality of inputs to the soil, thereby altering soil microbial properties. Thus, plant community convergence is likely to be rapidly followed by the convergence of microbial properties in the soil.
authors.affiliation: German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103, Leipzig, Germany. katja.steinauer@web.de.|Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Johannisallee 21, 04103, Leipzig, Germany. katja.steinauer@web.de.
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Steinauer
authors.affiliation: J. F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Berliner Straße 28, 37073, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Britta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.affiliation: J. F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Berliner Straße 28, 37073, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Strecker
authors.affiliation: Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, 8057, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Enrica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: de Luca
authors.affiliation: J. F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Berliner Straße 28, 37073, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Scheu
authors.affiliation: German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.|Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Johannisallee 21, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Nico
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Eisenhauer
mesh_terms: D044822:Biodiversity; D018521:Plant Physiological Phenomena; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D013045:Species Specificity
keywords: Jena Experiment; Microbial biomass; Plant colonization; Plant coverage; Plant diversity