Spatial variation in soil microbial processes as a result of woody encroachment depends on shrub size in tallgrass prairie

摘要

Aims As woody plants encroach into grassland ecosystems, we expect altered plant-soil interactions to change the microbial processes that affect soil carbon storage and nutrient cycling. Specifically, this research aimed to address how (1) soil chemistry, (2) microbial nutrient demand, and (3) the rate and source of potential soil C mineralization vary spatially under clonal woody shrubs of varying size within a mesic grassland.