Biology subjects

Ballauff, J.

Publications and source records attributed to Ballauff, J..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2024

Land-use changes impact root-fungal network connectivity in a global biodiversity hotspot

O_LICross-kingdom associations play a fundamental role in ecological processes. Yet our understanding of plant-fungal co-occurrences in tropical rainforests and the potential impacts of land-use change shaping species connections remains limited. C_LIO_LIBy using amplicon sequencing on DNA from roots and their associated fungal communities, we aim to understand the impact of rainforest transformation on the composition and structure of root-fungal ecological networks in human-modified landscapes in Sumatra, Indonesia. C_LIO_LIEach land-use type supports a distinctive set of indicator species, which are organisms that reflect specific environmental conditions and can signal changes in ecosystem health. We observed a decline in the richness of plant species indicators and plant-fungal associations with increasing land-use intensification. Additionally, there is a turnover in root communities, shifting from native and endemic species in rainforests to non-native, generalist herbaceous species in rubber and oil palm plantations. C_LIO_LIPlant-fungal connectivity significantly declined with increasing land-use intensification, suggesting that managed ecosystems may have weakened root-fungal interactions. Network analysis highlights the distinct responses of various fungal groups. For instance, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) showed fewer connections with modules linked to oil palm and rubber roots, indicating weakened root-fungal associations in monocultures. This aligns with the observed reduction in AMF diversity in converted land-use areas compared to forests, further reinforcing the negative impact of land-use practices in oil palm and rubber monocultures on AMF diversity. C_LIO_LISynthesis. Dimensioning the impacts of rainforest transformations belowground is constrained by our understanding of fungal functional guilds. Highly modified systems exhibited fewer connections, suggesting a dynamic restructuring of root-fungal relationships in response to land-use changes. Understanding the intricate interplay between plants and fungi in the face of land-use change can provide valuable information for conservation efforts, agricultural practices, and ecosystem management strategies aimed at promoting biodiversity, soil health, and ecosystem resilience in the context of changing environmental conditions. Moreover, it underscores the importance of communities networks in land-use planning and management decisions to support plant and fungal diversity in terrestrial ecosystems. C_LI

ecology↗

bioRxiv2023

Planting diversity begets multifaceted tree diversity in oil palm landscapes

Optimizing restoration outcomes is crucial for enhancing multifaceted diversity, resilience, and ecosystem functioning in monoculture-dominated landscapes globally. Here, we experimentally tested the performance of passive and active restoration strategies to recover taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional diversity by establishing 52 tree islands in an oil palm landscape. Tree diversity via natural regeneration was shaped by local rather than landscape properties, with the diversity of planted tree species and tree island size driving higher multifaceted diversity. We show that large tree islands with higher initial planted diversity catalyze the recovery of multifaceted diversity at both the local and landscape level, including forest-associated species. Our results demonstrate that planted diversity begets regenerating diversity, overcoming major limitations of natural regeneration in highly modified landscapes. By elucidating the contribution of experimental, local, and landscape drivers to natural regeneration, these findings provide practical insights to make oil palm landscapes more biodiversity-friendly by enhancing functional and phylogenetic diversity within plantations.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2022

Landscape heterogeneity and soil biota are central to multi-taxa diversity for landscape restoration

How to enhance biodiversity in monoculture-dominated landscapes is a key sustainability question that requires considering the spatial organization of ecological communities (beta diversity). Here, we experimentally tested if increasing landscape heterogeneity - through tree islands - is a suitable landscape restoration strategy when aiming to enhance multi-taxa diversity. We found that multi-taxa diversity resulted from islands fostering unique species (turnover: between 0.18 - 0.73) rather than species losses and gains (nestedness: between 0.03 - 0.34), suggesting that tree islands enhance diversity at the landscape scale. Through partial correlation networks, we revealed that landscape heterogeneity is associated with multi-taxa diversity (strength = 0.84). Soil biota were also central to the overall community by connecting beta diversity patterns across taxa. Our results show that increasing landscape heterogeneity enhances multi-taxa diversity in monoculture-dominant landscapes. Furthermore, we highlight that strategies aiming to enhance multi-taxa diversity should consider that spatial distributions of above- and below-ground communities are associated.

ecology↗