Ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation and elevated tropospheric ozone may cause reductions in the productivity and quality of important agricultural crops. However, research regarding their interactive effect is still scarce, especially on the belowground processes. Using the open top chambers experimental setup, we monitored the response of soil nematodes to the elevated O3 and UV-B radiation individ...

Current understanding of litterfall and fine root dynamics in temperate forests is limited, even though these are the major contributors to carbon and nutrient cycling in the ecosystems. In this study, we investigated litterfall and fine root biomass and production in five deciduous and four coniferous forests at the Gwangneung Experimental Forest in Korea. We used ingrowth cores to measure fin...

Plant species vary in response to atmospheric CO2 concentration due to differences in physiology, morphology, phenology, and symbiotic relationships. These differences make it very difficult to predict how plant communities will respond to elevated CO2. Such information is critical to furthering our understanding of community and ecosystem responses to global climate change. To determine how a ...

Aboveand belowground biomass of contrasting grass growth forms (Hilaria belangeri— shortgrass vs. Bouteloua curtipendula—mid-height grass) was quantified with respect to partial root barriers (at 35 cm soil depth) with artificial fissures. We hypothesized (a) growth would be greatest in the absence of a barrier; and (b) the shallow-rooted H. belangeri would be relatively less affected by barrie...

Competition is a key feature that structures the composition of plant communities. A growing body of evidence is showing that the presence of neighbours, especially belowground neighbours, induces varied morphological responses in plants. However, in many species, it is not known whether neighbour identity also influences plant morphological responses such as biomass allocation patterns. To ass...

While the impact of aboveground herbivores on plant biomass and fitness has received considerable attention, there has been far less research on the corresponding belowground impacts. The belowground effects of aboveground feeding may be particularly noticeable for invasive and/or outbreaking herbivore species that reach high densities and can cause major damage and sometimes death. The hemlock...

Exotic plant species impact belowground processes by influencing resource availability through enhanced microbial activity as a consequence of litter inputs. We have little understanding of the impact of microbe-driven nutrient fluctuations on the biomass accumulation of invasive species. Here we attempt to answer the question on whether soil community-driven nitrogen availability influences in...

Several recent studies have indicated that an enriched atmosphere of carbon dioxide (CO2) could exacerbate the intensity of plant invasions within natural ecosystems, but little is known of how rising CO2 impacts the belowground characteristics of these invaded systems. In this study, we examined the effects of elevated CO2 and nitrogen (N) inputs on plant and soil microbial community character...

—Nine-year old artifi cially regenerated red oak (Quercus rubra L.), white oak (Q. alba L.), and shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata Mill.) trees were excavated from plot borders of a U.S. Forest Service long-term soil productivity study in the Carr Creek State Forest near Ellington, MO, to quantify treatment eff ects on aboveand belowground tree biomass. Th e study consists of factorial combination...