Dryness weakens the positive effects of plant and fungal ß diversities on above- and belowground biomass.

ABSTRACT

Plant and microbial diversity are key to determine ecosystem functioning. Despite the well-known role of local-scale α diversity in affecting vegetation biomass, the effects of community heterogeneity (ß diversity) of plants and soil microbes on above- and belowground biomass (AGB and BGB) across contrasting environments still remain unclear. Here, we conducted a dryness-gradient transect survey over 3000 km across grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau. We found that plant ß diversity was more dominant than α diversity in maintaining higher levels of AGB, while soil fungal ß diversity was the key driver in enhancing BGB. However, these positive effects of plant and microbial ß diversity on AGB and BGB were strongly weakened by increasing climatic dryness, mainly because higher soil available phosphorus caused by increasing dryness reduced both plant and soil fungal ß diversities. Overall, these new findings highlight the critical role of above- and belowground ß diversity in sustaining grassland biomass, raising our awareness to the ecological risks of large-scale biotic homogenization under future climate change.