Identifying the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning and services has been a central question in ecology for decades. Despite the longevity of the subject, ecologists have only just begun to unveil the important contribution of soil microbial biodiversity (particularly the rhizosphere) to terrestrial ecosystem functioning. For example, models explaining terrestrial nutrient cycling have a higher explanatory power when taking into account measurements of soil microbial diversity. And, although belowground relationships between soil, roots, and their interface (rhizosphere) are increasingly shown to be interdependent to ecosystem functioning, they are seldom studied together in global or continental-scale studies.
The goal of this Research Topic is to synthesize the current knowledge and address knowledge gaps that are related to rhizosphere microbial biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. We ask the following questions which we invite submissions of all types to cover:
1) Does increased soil and/or rhizosphere biodiversity lead to increased ecosystem functioning?
2) How do we explain the disparity between above and belowground biodiversity hotspots?
3) Which ecosystem functions are more related to different rhizosphere functional or ecological guilds?
4) How to assess functional redundancy when measuring soil/rhizosphere biodiversity in relation to ecosystem function?
5) Which methods (ie. trait-based, molecular-based, morphology-based approaches) should be emphasized in understanding the relationship between soil biodiversity and ecosystem functioning?
Of particular interest are articles that examine how diverse mycorrhizal types (arbuscular, ectomycorrhizal, orchid, and ericoid) relate to different ecosystem functions. We encourage articles that focus beyond the well-studied nutritional benefit of mycorrhizal symbiosis and expand on its role in ecosystem multifunctionality.
Identifying the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning and services has been a central question in ecology for decades. Despite the longevity of the subject, ecologists have only just begun to unveil the important contribution of soil microbial biodiversity (particularly the rhizosphere) to terrestrial ecosystem functioning. For example, models explaining terrestrial nutrient cycling have a higher explanatory power when taking into account measurements of soil microbial diversity. And, although belowground relationships between soil, roots, and their interface (rhizosphere) are increasingly shown to be interdependent to ecosystem functioning, they are seldom studied together in global or continental-scale studies.
The goal of this Research Topic is to synthesize the current knowledge and address knowledge gaps that are related to rhizosphere microbial biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. We ask the following questions which we invite submissions of all types to cover:
1) Does increased soil and/or rhizosphere biodiversity lead to increased ecosystem functioning?
2) How do we explain the disparity between above and belowground biodiversity hotspots?
3) Which ecosystem functions are more related to different rhizosphere functional or ecological guilds?
4) How to assess functional redundancy when measuring soil/rhizosphere biodiversity in relation to ecosystem function?
5) Which methods (ie. trait-based, molecular-based, morphology-based approaches) should be emphasized in understanding the relationship between soil biodiversity and ecosystem functioning?
Of particular interest are articles that examine how diverse mycorrhizal types (arbuscular, ectomycorrhizal, orchid, and ericoid) relate to different ecosystem functions. We encourage articles that focus beyond the well-studied nutritional benefit of mycorrhizal symbiosis and expand on its role in ecosystem multifunctionality.