Historical context modifies plant diversity–community productivity relationships in alpine grassland

Abstract While most studies yield positive relationships between biodiversity (B) and ecosystem functioning (EF), awareness is growing that BEF can vary with ecological context. The has led to increased efforts understand how contemporary environmental context modifies relationships, but the role of historical context, mechanisms by which it may influence effects, remains poorly understood. We examined alters plant diversity–community productivity via species interactions in alpine grassland. also tested plants arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, potentially mediate above processes. studied effects on community at two grassland sites different histories related grazing intensity—heavy versus light livestock grazing—but similar current management. assembled experimental communities identical composition from each disturbed soil a heavily grazed grassland, ranging richness one two, three six species. Moreover, we carried out hyphae‐exclusion experiment test AM fungi responses detected significantly diversity–productivity relationship was driven complementarity composed site without heavy‐grazing history, no such history. Plants history had competitive ability yields low‐diversity disrupted high‐diversity communities. benefitted more fungal than did Synthesis . Using same design species, contexts showed relationships. Our results suggest alter plant–soil interactions. Therefore, considering importance for advancing our understanding long‐term impacts anthropogenic disturbance functioning.