Biodiversity in the Grassland Biome
A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Ecology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 September 2022) | Viewed by 17654
Special Issue Editors
Interests: HNV; semi-natural grasslands; oligotrophic grassland; grassland management; biodiversity; indicator species; organic and mineral inputs; mulching; ecologic and agronomic value of grassland; climate fluctuation and vegetation dynamics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: plant ecology; vegetation and habitat diversity; vegetation databases; grassland classification; indicator species
Interests: soil microbiology; microbial ecology; plant growth promotion; root symbionts; microbial communities
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Grassland biomes described as “green oceans” have a key role in the balance of the global ecosystem and an essential contribution in the regulation of nutrients cycles. They are large areas, composed by herbaceous species and are a source of food for wildlife and a unique habitat for biodiversity. In these regions grow many species of plants and animals unique in the world, which have gradually adapted to stationary conditions. The anthropogenic influence manifested in last decades has led to a strong restriction of biodiversity and even the extinction of some species. This pressure has led to the destruction of certain biomes, some of which are listed as high risk of conservation. But there is lack of studies on this pressure effect on functional biodiversity. At the opposite pole is abandonment, which lately has had a devastating effect on intraspecific biodiversity up to cultural biodiversity. The current agricultural policies support the biodiversity of grassland biomes through various programs, with variable results.
Microbial communities of grassland biomes are responsible for nutrient recycling function, the constant conversion of organic matter and the release of nutrients to plants. At the same time, many microorganisms possess the ability to fix or solubilize essential nutrients plants, with a high rhizosphere specificity. Mycorrhizal symbionts are high-performance intra- and interspecific connectors, balancing the flow of nutrients and information throughout the ecosystem. Changes in the species dominance, constant climate changes and anthropogenic pressure severely alter the profile of microbial communities, which affects the stability of grasslands.
In this special issue, articles focused on grasslands as a biome and microbiome are welcome. Original studies, perspectives, opinions, hypotheses, reviews, models and methodologies on changes due to climate, management and anthropogenic pressure, assessments of diversity at large- or fine-scale, plant-microorganism-soil interactions, analysis of plant associations and microflora functions, evaluation of nutrients flows will be appreciated.
Dr. Florin Pacurar
Prof. Dr. Maria Pilar Rodríguez-Rojo
Dr. Vlad Stoian
Guest Editors
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Keywords
- Grassland plant associations
- Anthropic pressure
- Climate effect
- Biodiversity changes
- Microbial communities
- Nutrient fluxes
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