VITAL Ecosystem ser VIce provision from coupled plan

VITAL Ecosystem ser. VIce provision from coupled plan. T and microbi. AL functional diversity in managed grasslands LECA (France), LEM (France), UCBN (France), UIBK (Austria), ULAN (UK), HELM (Germany), UB (Spain) 1

Objectives of VITAL • Core hypothesis: • Multiple ecosystem services in grasslands, and their vulnerability can be explained by the coupling among plant and soil microbial functional diversity (FD) • Core objective: • Building a conceptual model of relationships among plant and microbial FD, and multiple ecosystem services (ES) delivery 2

From the traits to the ecosystem service Environmental drivers Plant response traits Plant effect traits Ecosystem functioning Ecosystem service Benefits people obtain from ecosystems 3

Human-environment interactions Human sub-system Stakeholders External factors Climate, politics, technology, economy Social-ecological system Ecological sub-system Ecosystem services Mountain grasslands ecosystem functions and properties WP 5 WP 1 and 6 Landmanagement WP 2, 3 and 4 4

WP 1 - ECOSYSTEM SERVICE IDENTIFICATION ES identification by stakeholder groups Indicators of ecosystem services BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES: TRENDS AND CONDITIONS Site data bases Plant soft traits Hydropony Plant traits (potential) FUNCTIONAL MARKERS WP 2 Species selection Pot cultures Microbial activities INDICATORS Lautaret WP 3 - Mesocosm experiment PLANT-MICROB. FD ECOSYSTEM EFFECTS Plant traits (actual) Microbial abundance Microbial taxonomic and functional diversity C- and N-cycling components MECHANISMS Model validation WP 4 – Field management gradient PLANT-MICROB. FD ECOSYSTEM EFFECTS Plant functional diversity Microbial activities Diversity of selected microbial groups C- and N-cycling components Stubai PATTERNS WP 5 –SCENARIOS Participative scenario development Model projections of plant and microbial functional diversity: static-dynamic modelling Statistical projection of multiple ecosystem service provision Yorkshire Dales WP 6 – TRANSFER OF KNOWLEDGE, RESULTS, AND TOOLS Indicators of biodiversity and ES + toolkit Multifunctional management strategies for fertility, biodiversity and other ES 5

Provision services Evaluating multi-functionality Cultural services F 1 Low High F 2 Low unmown High Perm. grassld mown & fert 6

Expected impacts and dissemination strategy • Scientific: – Publications and conferences – International research networks – within two years of the end of the project • Stakeholders and end users (managers and policy makers): – Participatory process (WP 1&6) – Increased awareness • General public: – Web site and brochures – Toolkit for training of students and managers 7

Who are the users of the results? 8

How do you intend to involve users/stakeholders in your project? • Continuous stakeholders consultation Participation Directions of information flow – Identification of ES – Scenario development – address requirements and interests • Stakeholders information – About processes – About results 9

Long term impact/legacy of VITAL research • Basic understanding of ecological constraints and opportunities for multifunctionality in European grasslands: guide policy and management for future ES delivery. • Raise awareness of farmers, policy makers and the public about non-remarkable biodiversity and its role, especially in soils. • Enhance sustainable delivery of ES with training material (Toolkit) adapted to target groups. 10

How will your project outputs be designed in order maximize appropriate use? • Workshop strategy: present project and outputs, AND elicit feedbacks and perception of actions that need to be taken in the future for sustainable rural development. • Field demonstrations of monitoring methods for assessing functional diversity and ES delivery • Toolkit for managers of mountain grasslands and students: concept of ES, current status of biodiversity, interrelationships of fertility and ES, possible changes under plausible scenarios by 2030, and social, cultural and financial feasibility. • Design jointly options for appropriate policy measures for increasing the provision of ES, along with biodiversity conservation and maintenance of economically viable production. 11

Thank you for your attention. . . and to our project partners • Laboratoire d´Ecologie Alpine CNRS UJF UMR 5553 (LECA) : Lavorel S, Clement JC, Mahmadou B. , Geremia, R, Girel, J, Grigulis, K, Colace, MP, Sage, L, Lamarque P, Legay N. • Université Claude Bernard Microbial ecology (LEM) : Clays Josserand A. , Poly, F, Czarnes, S, Degrange, V Lerondelle C, Commeaux C, Guillaumaud N • University of Caen, UMR INRA UCBN 950 Ecophysiology, végétale, Agronomie et nutritions N, C, S. (UCBN) : Laine Ph. , Diquélou S, Lavenant S, Personéni E • University of Innsbruck, Faculty of Biology / Institute of Ecology (UIBK) : Tappeiner U. , Bahn M, Wohlfahrt G, Rubatscher D, Rainer M • Lancaster University, Soil and Ecosystem Ecology, (ULAN) , Bardgett R. • Helmholtz Zentrum München, Department for Terrestrial Ecogenetics (HELM): Schloter M, Radl, V, Schauss, K, Hai B, Galonska K • Universitat de Barcelona, Plant Biology, Facultat de Biologia (UB) : Nogues S. , Aranjuelo I, Bort J , Cabrera L, Molero, Baptist F 12

Hypotheses: (i)Increased dominance of traits linked to conservative or exploitative plant strategies promotes K- and r-selected microbial species, respectively (Figure 1); (ii) These plant-microbial linkages will determine C and N cycling rates, and hence the associated ecosystem services. 13

Patterns of variation in plant and microbial diversity, and N-related ecosystem functioning Grassland management intensity N availability and total N uptake Lautaret extensification Stubai Extensification/ intensification Microbial functional diversity Plant species and functional diversity Yorkshire Dales restoration 14

Specific hypothesis Functional traits and plant – soil µorganisms interactions underlying soil N fertility Grazing intensity Defoliation, trampling, PLANTS labile N redistribution PR 1 a: Stature, meristem location PR 1 b: NO 3 -/NH 4+ assimilation PR 1 c = TE 1: leaf N, phenolics, and root exudates C & energy supply. OM quality Urea input MINERALISERS NITRIFIERS TR 2: Ability to use fresh versus recalcitrant OM TR 2 = TE 2 = FE 2: Growth rate PR 3 = TR 3: Sensitivity to high NH 4+/ urea levels NH 4+ supply FE 2: Specific activity NO 3 - / NH 4+ PR 3 = TR 3 = FE 3: Urease activity Growth rate FE 3 a: Specific activity nitifiiers. FE 3 b: Ability use urea as substrate NO 3 - Maintenance of SOIL FERTILITY 15

Plant traits • Whole plant: veg. plant height rep. plant height clonality defences • Leaf: specific leaf area (SLA) leaf dry matter content nutrient concentrations (N, P, C) • Reproductive: seed mass flowering phenology pollination mode dispersal mode Ecosystem properties • Max. standing biomass (live and dead) • Above-ground net primary production (absolute & specific) • Decay rate of litter • Soil texture and physical characteristics • N fertility index (from non-woody canopy N) 16

Using plant traits to understand ecological trade-offs and synergies in the delivery of multiple ecosystem services Resources Temperature, humidity Succession Resource acquisition: life span, nutrient and water use efficiency, C-based defenses specific leaf area, specific root length, tissue [N] Fast biogeochemical cycles High NPP High palatability Carbon sequestration Soil conservation Pest control Fodder production Soil nutrient supply Invertebrate diversity FUNCTION SERVICES Slow biogeochemical cycles Litter accumulation Low palatability PLANT Resource conservation: leaf 17