Understanding the Drivers of Nematode Functional Diversity Across Europe

Abstract

The recent trend of land use intensification within Europe poses a threat to the ability of the soil community to sustain soil functions (nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, water regulation, disease suppression, and primary production). In order to predict soil functions and their resilience to disturbance across the heterogeneous landscapes of Europe an increased understanding of the drivers of the spatial distribution of belowground organisms is needed. Soil food-web dynamics and community traits are much stronger predictors for soil functions than species diversity. Therefore, shifting the focus from biogeography to functional biogeography could facilitate the link to soil functions. Nematodes are present throughout the soil food-web and can thus function as indicators for soil food-web dynamics. Within this study I aim to uncover how soil forming factors (climate, organisms, relief, parent material and time) drive belowground functional diversity across Europe, using nematode-based indices of soil food-web dynamics as an indicator for functional diversity. Data on nematode diversity was obtained from a large database of nematode community studies across Europe. Additionally, soil maps were consulted to gather data on environmental and soil physical properties. The findings in this study show that nematode-based indices vary across different environmental zones in Europe and that this variation can in part be explain by soil forming factors. Geographical location should therefore be considered when assessing soil health and soil multifunctionality.