Smart Innovations in Communication and Computational Sciences

Abstract

All terrestrial ecosystems consist of aboveground and belowgroundcomponents that interact to influence community- and ecosystem-levelprocesses and properties. Here we show how these components are closelyinterlinked at the community level, reinforced by a greater degreeof specificity between plants and soil organisms than has been previouslysupposed. As such, aboveground and belowground communities can bepowerful mutual drivers, with both positive and negative feedbacks.A combined aboveground-belowground approach to community and ecosystemecology is enhancing our understanding of the regulation and functionalsignificance of biodiversity and of the environmental impacts ofhuman-induced global change phenomena.