Linking effect traits of soil fauna to processes of organic matter transformation

作者：Jonathan Bonfanti, Anton Potapov, Gerrit Angst, Pierre Ganault, María J.I. Briones, Irene Calderón‐Sanou, Ting‐Wen Chen, Erminia Conti, Florine Degrune, Nico Eisenhauer, Olga Ferlian, Davorka K. Hackenberger, Amelie Hauer, Mickaël Hedde, Karin Hohberg, Paul Henning Krogh, Christian Mulder, Camila Pérez-Roig, David J. Russell, Oren Shelef, Zheng Zhou, Andrey G. Zuev, Matty P. Berg · 发表于：Functional Ecology · 年份：2024 · DOI：10.1111/1365-2435.14720 · 被引用次数：37 · 研究领域：Botany and Plant Ecology Studies、Invertebrate Taxonomy and Ecology、Peatlands and Wetlands Ecology

Abstract Soil organic matter (SOM) transformation processes are regulated by the activities of plants, microbes, and fauna. Compared with plants and microbes, effects of soil fauna are less understood because of their high taxonomic and functional diversity, and mix of direct and indirect effect mechanisms. Trait‐based approaches offer a generic perspective to quantify mechanistic relationships between soil fauna and SOM transformations, including decomposition, translocation, and stabilisation of organic carbon. Yet, at present, we lack a consensus concerning relevant key effect traits of soil fauna (i.e. those affecting ecosystem functioning). Here, we address this knowledge gap by focusing on relationships between soil fauna effect traits and SOM transformations. Based on existing literature, we identify key processes linked to SOM transformations, and fauna effect traits universally applicable across taxa and soil types, and discuss the process‐trait links. We define eight SOM transformation processes that are directly affected by soil fauna: (i) litter mass loss, (ii) litter fragmentation, (iii) SOM aggregation in faeces, (iv) SOM aggregation in soil mineral particles, (v) decomposition of faeces, (vi) SOM and mineral translocation, (vii) pore space creation and maintenance and (viii) SOM stabilisation. We link these processes to general effect traits classified into four categories: (a) food selection and ingestion, (b), digestion and excretion, (c) mobility, and (d) bo...