Coupling of the plant leaf economic spectrum, litter decomposition, and soil biota: When do they fit together?

Principle investigator: Jan Lepš
Funding provider: Czech Science Foundation (GA ČR)
Grant number: 25-15952S
Duration: 2025-2027

Plants influence nutrient cycling through the decomposition of their fallen leaves. The rate of decomposition depends on leaf properties, which vary both between and within plant species. Soil organisms may become adapted to local plant litter and decompose it more efficiently, a phenomenon known as home-field advantage (HFA). However, this advantage is not always observed, possibly because some decomposers can break down many types of litter or because plant–soil relationships take time to develop. Our project uses field and laboratory experiments to investigate whether HFA is stronger in long-term stable plant communities and how historical disturbances and small-scale environmental changes affect litter decomposition, plant traits, and soil decomposer communities. The project is carried out in collaboration with Ondřej Mudrák and his team at Charles University.