Summary
This 2024 field study investigates protist communities as biological indicators of fertilisation-driven changes in grassland ecosystems. Protists, as consumers of bacteria and fungi, may reflect shifts in soil microbial processes caused by nutrient inputs. The work suggests protist assemblages could serve as sensitive markers of fertilisation impacts in species-rich grasslands, potentially bridging soil microbial and aboveground ecological responses.
UK applicability
The findings may inform UK grassland management practices, particularly in semi-natural and species-rich meadows where fertilisation impacts are monitored. However, protist community baselines and response thresholds are likely to differ between Chinese and UK grasslands due to soil type, climate, and legacy management.
Key measures
Protist community composition, diversity indices, and taxonomic abundance in response to fertilisation treatments
Outcomes reported
The study examined how different fertilisation regimes altered protist (protozoan) community composition and diversity in a species-rich grassland ecosystem. Protist metrics were evaluated as potential indicators of fertilisation-induced ecological changes.
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