Dschungel unter den Füßen Unterirdisches Leben bestimmt das Funktionieren von Agrarökosystemen

Summary

This work demonstrates that soil biodiversity plays an important role in agroecosystems. The presence of an enriched soil community in large outdoor lysimeters
enhanced plant yield and reduced nutrient leaching losses. Moreover, soil biodiversity loss and simplification of soil communities reduced ecosystem multifunctionality.
Further analysis revealed that promotion of soil biodiversity and soil ecological engineering can help to reduce the reliance on external inputs and is especially
suitable for a transition to organic agriculture. This work points to the need to support soil life for a sustainable agriculture.