Abstract
Elevation gradients are an excellent tool that allow scientists to investigate the impacts of temperature change within a single system. While the effects of elevation on aboveground plant communities have been well studied, the effects on microbially-mediated ecosystem function remain unclear. Here, we review how belowground ecosystem processes are affected both directly by temperature variation and indirectly through plant functional trait differences across elevation. A better understanding of the mechanisms that drive belowground ecosystem function will enable more accurate predictions of how ecosystems as a whole will respond to climate change.
Recommended Citation
Daws, Caroline and Rewcastle, Kenna Elizabeth
(2015)
"Microbes in the Middle: Elevation Gradients Reveal Drivers of Belowground Ecosystem Processes with Climate Change,"
Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at The University of Tennessee: Vol. 6
:
Iss.
1
, Article 8.
Available at:
https://trace.tennessee.edu/pursuit/vol6/iss1/8