No abstract

The diversity and abundance of below-ground microorganisms and animals play an important role in shaping above-ground biodiversity and helps maintain ecosystem function. Yet, we have a limited understanding of belowground biodiversity, e.g. its spatial/temporal patterns, driving factors and responses to global change and human activities. This knowledge gap is particularly acute for the Tibetan alpine grassland that is sensitive to climate change and occupies 60% of the area of the Tibetan Plateau. Here, we first review recent studies that reported the drivers of patterns in five major soil organism groups, including fungi, bacteria, archaea, nematodes and arthropods on Tibetan alpine grassland. We then focus on the responses of soil biodiversity to climate change and human activities. Finally, we highlight some open questions for future research of soil diversity on the Tibetan alpine grassland. Specifically, we recommend that future studies examine (1) The mechanisms underlying distribution patterns of belowground biodiversity; (2) Links between aboveground and belowground biodiversity; (3) Effects of belowground biodiversity on the health and functioning of ecosystems; (4) Manipulative experiments of belowground biodiversity.

Global surface air temperatures have risen approximately 1°C above pre-industrial levels, and the climate warming is expected to reach 3.3-5.7°C above pre-industrial levels by the end of the 21st century (IPCC, 2021). A growing body of evidence is showing that climate warming changes plant sexual reproduction performance, including flowering phenology and reproductive effort (the proportion of the resources of an organism allocated to reproduction, e.g., flower number) and success (the final outcome of resource investment, e.g., fruit and/or seed number) (

No abstract

No abstract