High litter quality enhances plant energy channeling by soil macro‐detritivores and lowers their trophic position

Ecology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 106(2)

Published: Feb. 1, 2025

Abstract Detritus‐based resources, that is, plant litter, are a major energy source for many living organisms and considered to be key determinant of primary production nutrient cycling. Earthworms among the most important macro‐detritivores in terrestrial food webs play crucial role facilitating these processes ecosystems. Yet, influence litter quality on earthworm nutrition, consequently soil web dynamics, has remained largely underexplored, mainly methodological reasons. Here, we combined bulk compound‐specific stable isotope analysis amino acids investigate dietary contribution different resources species ecological groups. Our findings show earthworms acquired essential from bacterial (~60%) (~30%) with latter increasing importance higher quality, resulting lower trophic positions across species. The high corresponds dominance bacteria experimental soil, suggesting served as an intermediate link transferring detritus‐based earthworms. Bacterial contributions were notably soil‐feeding than litter‐feeding species, likely due more pronounced ingestion by Overall, our study indicates group macro‐detritivores, earthworms, receive detrital via channel. Further, it underscores shaping niches detritivores, thereby influencing overall structure webs.

Language: Английский

The degradation of lignin and cellulose in typhoon-induced unsenescent leaf litter depends greatly on functional strategies among tree species

Plant and Soil, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: April 2, 2025

Language: Английский