A5052065094- Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
- Peatlands and Wetlands Ecology
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Environmental Conservation and Management
- Soil and Water Nutrient Dynamics
- Plant and animal studies
- Invertebrate Taxonomy and Ecology
- Mycorrhizal Fungi and Plant Interactions
- Forest Ecology and Biodiversity Studies
- Energy, Environment, Agriculture Analysis
- Land Use and Ecosystem Services
- Forest Management and Policy
- Soil erosion and sediment transport
- Phosphorus and nutrient management
- Rangeland Management and Livestock Ecology
- Rangeland and Wildlife Management
- Fire effects on ecosystems
- Pasture and Agricultural Systems
- Bioenergy crop production and management
- Plant Ecology and Taxonomy Studies
- Botany and Plant Ecology Studies
- 3D Modeling in Geospatial Applications
- Plant Ecology and Soil Science
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Urban Agriculture and Sustainability
University College Ghent
2021-2024
Ghent University
2011-2024
Research Institute for Nature and Forest
2015-2017
Abstract A change in land use from agriculture to forest generally increases soil acidity. However, it remains unclear what extent plant traits can enhance or mitigate acidification caused by atmospheric deposition. Soil is detrimental for the survival of many species. An in‐depth understanding tree species‐specific effects on therefore crucial, particularly view predicted global acidifying nitrogen ( N ) Here, we report rates a chronosequence broadleaved deciduous forests planted former...
Earthworms are key organisms in forest ecosystems because they incorporate organic material into the soil and affect activity of other organisms. Here, we investigated how tree species earthworm communities via litter characteristics. In a 36-year old common garden experiment, replicated six times over Denmark, were planted blocks: sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus), beech (Fagus sylvatica), ash (Fraxinus excelsior), Norway spruce (Picea abies), pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) lime (Tilia...
Forest management, including selection of appropriate tree species to mitigate climate change and sustain biodiversity, requires a better understanding factors that affect the composition soil fauna communities. These communities are an integral part ecosystem play essential role in forest functioning related carbon nitrogen cycling. Here, by performing field study across six common gardens Denmark, we evaluated effects identity mycorrhizal association (i.e., arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM)...
Soil fauna is one of the key drivers litter decomposition at both local and global scales, yet role tree species in mediating effects soil on remains elusive. We conducted a field experiment using litterbags with three different mesh sizes that allowed access microfauna (0.1 mm), micro- mesofauna (2 total (5 mm) to evaluate foliar two associated arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi ectomycorrhizal (ECM) six Danish common garden sites. also assessed how differences initial quality, properties,...
To restore species‐rich terrestrial ecosystems on ex‐agricultural land, establishing nutrient limitation for dominant plant growth is essential because in nutrient‐rich soils, fast‐growing species often exclude target species. However, N‐limitation easier to achieve than P‐limitation (because of a difference biogeochemical behavior), biodiversity generally highest under P‐limitation. Commonly used restoration methods low soil P‐concentrations are either very expensive or take long time. A...
Abstract Past intensive land use complicates the successful restoration of oligotrophic species‐rich grassland types. One major bottlenecks are elevated nutrient levels due to fertilization, especially residual phosphorus (P). Aiming deplete nutrients, managers often reintroduce traditional haymaking management, sometimes combined with grazing. Here, we evaluate whether this technique restores abiotic and biotic boundary conditions for Nardus grassland. Seven grasslands were selected in...
Excess soil phosphorus often constrains ecological restoration of degraded semi-natural grasslands in Western-Europe. Slow-growing species, target (measures), are at a disadvantage because they outcompeted by fast-growing species. Gaining insight into the responses plant species and communities to availability will help understanding trajectories grassland ecosystems. We set up two pot experiments using twenty with contrasting growth forms (i.e. grasses versus forbs) nutrient use strategies...
Biodiversity is declining at a rapid pace and, with it, the ecosystem functions that support services. To counter this, restoration necessary. While relationship between biodiversity and functioning has been studied in depth, less. We performed an observational study grasslands undergoing management toward Nardus grassland. Eight functions, representing flows of energy, matter or information functional compartments, were measured across five successive phases along gradient. The levels then...
Abstract Temperate forest soils are often considered as an important sink for atmospheric carbon (C), thereby buffering anthropogenic CO 2 emissions. However, the effect of tree species composition on magnitude this is unclear. We resampled a common garden experiment (six sites) decade after initial sampling to evaluate whether floor (FF) and topsoil organic (C org ) total nitrogen (N t stocks changed in dependence (Norway spruce— Picea abies L., European beech— Fagus sylvatica pedunculate...
The restoration of Nardus grasslands is often hampered by high bioavailability soil phosphorus and disturbed communities. In order to better understand these bottlenecks, we studied grassland species grown together in communities with fast-growing 50-liter pots along a gradient bioavailable or without inoculated biota. These mesocosms allowed the plants freely interact, including competition for light nutrients. We investigated changes plant community composition using Threshold Indicator...
Abstract Questions Increased soil phosphorus (P) availability in fertilized grasslands can drive both community degradation and delayed recovery upon agricultural abandonment. Beyond describing grassland patterns along gradients P availability, it remains unclear how individual species with different strategies respond to increasing phosphorus. Here we studied intraspecific variability of leaf functional traits response phosphorus, for contrasting resource‐use strategies. Methods We set up a...
Abstract Aims Successful establishment of species‐rich Nardus grasslands on ex‐agricultural land requires identification and removal barriers to effective seed germination seedling survival. Therefore, we investigate how early development are affected by soil conditions from different restoration phases this relates their specific plant strategies. Location Grasslands experiments in northern Belgium. Methods We selected three grassland ( Lolium perenne grasslands, grass–herb mix grasslands),...
High soil P concentrations hinder ecological restoration of biological communities typical for nutrient-poor soils. Phosphorus mining, i.e., growing crops with fertilization other than P, might reduce concentrations. However, crop species have different P-uptake rates and can affect subsequent removal in rotation, both which may also vary concentration. In a pot experiment three soil-P-levels (High-P: 125–155 mg POlsen/kg; Mid-P: 51–70 Low-P: 6–21 POlsen/kg), we measured how much was removed...
Large‐scale biodiversity loss is one of the most urgent global issues. The Convention on Biological Diversity created a vision to ecologically restore ecosystems by 2050. European Union follows this ambition, and member states are required select Special Areas Conservation (SACs) develop restore; example species‐rich semi‐natural grassland. Species‐rich grassland restoration requires time for restoring both abiotic conditions, e.g. low soil phosphorus concentrations, biotic introduction...
Abstract Background Forest soils are considered sinks for atmospheric C. Many studies revealed that tree species and their mycorrhizal association affect forest floor topsoil organic C (OC) total N, while the knowledge of effect on subsoil OC N is still scarce. Aims We aimed to identify (1) effects floor, (0–30 cm) (30–80 stocks vertical distribution (2) drivers soil distribution. Methods sampled under Fagus sylvatica L., Quercus robur Acer pseudoplatanus L. Fraxinus excelsior in four Danish...
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Abstract Semi‐natural grasslands in Western Europe are degrading and declining. Their plant species diversity associated fauna, such as arthropods, decreasing fast making restoration crucial. Carabid beetles an essential link ecosystem functioning (e.g., through herbivory predation) provide important services pest control). As a diverse group from different trophic levels, they occupy variety of ecological niches, them good indicators success habitat quality. To study how aspects carabid...
Abstract Aims The restoration of degraded ecosystems typically focuses on establishing assemblages target species, but successful recovery should also be evaluated by the ecosystem's functioning to guarantee long‐term persistence. We investigated how processes underlying community assembly (i.e. species loss, gain and changes in abundance resident species) influenced ecosystem experimental grassland communities different states restoration. Location A greenhouse experiment northern Flanders,...