Obiettivo To define the structure of decomposer communities in relation to decomposition in coniferous and deciduous forests along two major European transects, covering a wide range of climatic conditions, quality of organic matter, deposition and management practices. To understand and predict the response of the soil community (microorganisms, nematodes, enchytraeids, microarthropods, macrofauna) to global climate change by studying forested field plots and laboratory systems with environmentally controlled conditions (elevated/non-elevated temperatures, dry/normal/moist conditions). To link biodiversity in soil to ecosystem function by (i) identifying functional types and trophic connectivity (ii) investigating functional equivalent species occupying the same niche, (iii) comparing taxonomic diversity of the soil microflora to biochemical diversity and (iv) manipulating the community structure of decomposer invertebrates. To quantify the functional implications of diversity change (i) by accompanying the investigations listed above with measurements on decomposition, C mineralisation, N availability and microbial C and N pools, and (ii) by making use of the functional data which are already available or which will be provided by ongoing research projects carried out at same sites.Two central hypotheses will be tested: (i) climate induced perturbation selects for species with reduced ability to carry out key functions; (ii) redundancy is needed to maintain key functions in perturbated environments. The measurements include both diversity related parameters (micro-, meso-, macrofauna; taxonomic and biochemical methods for microbial diversity) and functional parameters. The project will utilise the natural environmental variation by carrying out studies along 2 European transects, covering major gradients of temperature, moisture, deposition and management practices. By choosing sites, which have been and are still intensely used for studies on ecosystem function, GLOBIS aims at forming 'diversity links' to as well as between interdisciplinary European research projects (VAMOS, CORE, NIPHYS). This strategy will be combined with both field experiments, where relevant environmental conditions are controlled, and manipulation experiments in the laboratory to evaluate the importance of different factors. The research activities of GLOBIS are broken down into 3 work packages, which are further subdivided into tasks: WP 1 (Transect studies): The continental gradient approach provides essential data on the correlation between environmental conditions and diversity/function relationships. This experimental strategy incorporates a new decomposition experiment with litter-bags in climatically different ecosystems to allow temporal and spatial monitoring of soil biota as decomposition of selected organic matter substrates proceeds. The litterbag experiment will be complemented by an intense study on the functional implications of microbial diversity in soil and its relation to climate, resource input and management. These studies are carried out by isolation techniques (taxonomic approach) and fatty acid analyses (biochemical approach). WP 2 (Environmentally controlled conditions): Field experiments with environmentally controlled conditions (elevated temperature elevated and reduced moisture) aim at understanding and predicting the response of the belowground community to climate change. The studies will be carried out at the extreme edges of the GLOBIS transects (three sites in Sweden, one site in Greece) to cover most aspects of the environmental gradient. WP 3 'Fine tuning' will be possible by testing hypotheses on the role of selected functional groups, functional diversity and trophic connectivity in manipulation experiments. A set of experiments with various experimentally designed communities will be established. They include both experiments with altered diversity of functional groups and altered diversity within functional groups. The benefit of GLOBIS will be a better understanding and predicting of the way in which biological diversity in soil regulates ecosystem function and how this will be altered under global change. Campo scientifico natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculeslipidsnatural sciencesbiological sciencesecologyecosystemsnatural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesatmospheric sciencesclimatologyclimatic changessocial scienceseconomics and businessbusiness and managementnatural sciencesbiological scienceszoologyinvertebrate zoology Programma(i) FP4-ENV 2C - Specific programme of research and technological development in the field of environment and climate, 1994-1998 Argomento(i) 01020203 - Biodiversity and environmental change Invito a presentare proposte Data not available Meccanismo di finanziamento CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinatore JUSTUS-LIEBIG-UNIVERSITY OF GIESSEN Contributo UE Nessun dato Indirizzo 24,Stephanstrasse 24 35390 GIESSEN Germania Mostra sulla mappa Costo totale Nessun dato Partecipanti (4) Classifica in ordine alfabetico Classifica per Contributo UE Espandi tutto Riduci tutto ARISTOTLE UNIVERSITY OF THESSALONIKI Grecia Contributo UE Nessun dato Indirizzo University Campus 54006 THESSALONIKI Mostra sulla mappa Costo totale Nessun dato CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE Francia Contributo UE Nessun dato Indirizzo 43,Boulevard du 11 Novembre 1918 , bat 741 69622 Villeurbanne Mostra sulla mappa Costo totale Nessun dato THE SWEDISH UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES Svezia Contributo UE Nessun dato Indirizzo Ulls v.33 750 07 UPPSALA Mostra sulla mappa Costo totale Nessun dato University of Exeter Regno Unito Contributo UE Nessun dato Indirizzo Prince of Wales Road EX4 4PS Exeter Mostra sulla mappa Costo totale Nessun dato
