Evidence is mounting that the immense diversity of microorganisms and animals that live
belowground contributes significantly to shaping aboveground biodiversity and the …

The rhizosphere is the interface between plant roots and soil where interactions among a
myriad of microorganisms and invertebrates affect biogeochemical cycling, plant growth and …

Biodiversity loss has become a global concern as evidence accumulates that it will
negatively affect ecosystem services on which society depends. So far, most studies have …

Humans are altering the composition of biological communities through a variety of activities
that increase rates of species invasions and species extinctions, at all scales, from local to …

All terrestrial ecosystems consist of aboveground and belowground components that interact
to influence community-and ecosystem-level processes and properties. Here we show how …

The ecological consequences of biodiversity loss have aroused considerable interest and
controversy during the past decade. Major advances have been made in describing the …

Trophic cascades—the top-down regulation of ecosystems by predators—are an essential
aspect of ecosystem function and well-being. Trophic cascades are often drastically …

▪ Abstract We explore empirical and theoretical evidence for the functional significance of
plant-litter diversity and the extraordinary high diversity of decomposer organisms in the …

Biodiversity and carbon (C) cycling have been the focus of much research in recent
decades, partly because both change as a result of anthropogenic activities that are likely to …

New studies are documenting trophic cascades in theoretically unlikely systems such as
tropical forests and the open ocean. Together with increasing evidence of cascades, there is …