Teatime in the Serengeti: macrodetritivores sustain recalcitrant plant litter decomposition across human-modified tropical savannahs

Anders Sundsdal, Bente J. Graae, James D. M. Speed, John Bukombe, Philipo Jacob Mtweve, Marit K. Arneberg, Vilde L. Haukenes, Ragnhild T. Grevskott, Stuart W. Smith

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Intensification of savannah land-use is predicted to negatively influence soil biodiversity and functioning such as litter decomposition by detritivores. Loss of macrodetritivores, particularly termites, may be problematic in drier savannahs due to the capacity of macrodetritivores to sustain litter decomposition. Here we investigate how human land-use and spatiotemporal rainfall influence the contribution of macrodetritivores to plant litter decomposition.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)241-258
Number of pages18
JournalPlant and Soil
Volume456
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 17 Sept 2020

Bibliographical note

Funding: Open Access funding provided by NTNU Norwegian
University of Science and Technology (incl St. Olavs Hospital -
Trondheim University Hospital).

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