Researchers give input for COP25 climate change summit in Madrid

The UN climate change summit COP25 is underway in Madrid. With a special collection of articles in the journal Science Advances, ecologists aim to update the delegates on the impact of climate change on ecosystems. And in particular on lesser known aspects, such as plant-soil feedbacks.

How does climate change influence the interactions between plants and soil organisms such as bacteria, fungi and nematodes? That is the topic of a review article in the latest issue of Science Advances by scientists from seven countries, including Wim van der Putten (NIOO-KNAW).

Interactions between plants and soil play a crucial role in the way climate change affects ecosystems. "Plants can alter the properties of the soil they grow in", explains Van der Putten. "This may affect the performance of future generations of plants in that soil as well as plant species diversity and community structure."

Research into these so-called plant-soil feedbacks started at NIOO more than three decades ago, and it's now one of the fastest growing areas of interest in ecology.

Invasive species

Plant-soil feedbacks are an important driver of change in natural ecosystems. If plant inputs in the soil such as litter production are altered by climate change, the soil biota may respond by altering nutrient availability and the control of pest and disease outbreaks.

This could lead to significant changes in natural vegetation. "When for example plant species migrate from southern to northern Europe due to the warmer temperatures, they may outrun their natural belowground enemies and become invasive", says Van der Putten.

The as yet unanswered question is how long it takes before such range-shifting plants are controlled in their new environment. Researchers are currently looking into what land use policy and land managers can do to speed up this process.

Promote fungi

In their review article, the authors point out that important gaps remain in our understanding, and that further studies are needed to determine how plant-soil feedbacks can be used to control potential invasiveness. But there are already some recommendations to be made.

They propose that land management should promote soil fungi. Soils dominated by fungi are more stable under extreme droughts and more able to retain nutrients. This is an important message to COP25 delegates, as intensified land use is driving soils away from this fungal-dominated stage. The unwanted consequence is increased vulnerability of ecosystems to climate change.
 

• Article: Climate change effects on plant-soil feedbacks and consequences for biodiversity and functioning of terrestrial ecosystems, Science Advances 27 Nov 2019 Vol. 5, no.11 (Open Access)
• Introduction to the articles in the Special Collection: Navigating transformation of biodiversity and climate, Science Advances 27 Nov 2019 Vol. 5, no.11 (Open Access)