LECA (France), LEM (France), UCBN (France), UIBK (Austria), ULAN (UK), HELM (Germany), UB (Spain)

1. VITALEcosystem serVIce provision from coupled planT and microbiAL functional diversity in managed grasslands LECA (France), LEM (France), UCBN (France), UIBK (Austria), ULAN (UK), HELM (Germany), UB (Spain)

2. Objectives of VITAL • Core hypothesis: • Multiple ecosystem services in grasslands, and their vulnerability can be explained by the coupling among plant and soil microbial functional diversity (FD) • Core objective: • Building a conceptual model of relationships among plant and microbial FD, and multiple ecosystem services (ES) delivery

3. Plant response traits Plant effect traits From the traits to the ecosystem service Environmental drivers Ecosystem functioning Ecosystem service Benefits people obtain from ecosystems

4. Human-environment interactions Social-ecological system Human sub-system Ecological sub-system Stakeholders Ecosystem services Mountain grasslands ecosystem functions and properties Climate, politics, technology, economy External factors WP 5 Land-management WP 1 and 6 WP 2, 3 and 4

5. WP1 - ECOSYSTEM SERVICE IDENTIFICATION ES identification by stakeholder groups Indicators of ecosystem services BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES: TRENDS AND CONDITIONS Site data bases Plant soft traits Hydropony Plant traits (potential) Pot cultures Microbial activities WP2 INDICATORS FUNCTIONAL MARKERS Species selection Lautaret WP3- Mesocosm experiment Plant traits (actual) Microbial abundance Microbial taxonomic and functional diversity C- and N-cycling components PLANT-MICROB. FD ECOSYSTEM EFFECTS MECHANISMS Model validation Stubai WP4– Field management gradient Plant functional diversity Microbial activities Diversity of selected microbial groups C- and N-cycling components PATTERNS PLANT-MICROB. FD ECOSYSTEM EFFECTS WP5 –SCENARIOS Participative scenario development Model projections of plant and microbial functional diversity: static-dynamic modelling Statistical projection of multiple ecosystem service provision Yorkshire Dales WP6 – TRANSFER OF KNOWLEDGE, RESULTS, AND TOOLS Indicators of biodiversity and ES + toolkit Multifunctional management strategies for fertility, biodiversity and other ES

6. Evaluating multi-functionality Cultural services Provision services

7. Expected impacts and disseminationstrategy • Scientific: • Publications and conferences • International research networks • within two years of the end of the project • Stakeholders and end users (managers and policy makers): • Participatory process (WP 1&6) • Increased awareness • General public: • Web site and brochures • Toolkit for training of students and managers

8. Who are the users of the results?

9. How do you intend to involve users/stakeholders in your project? Participation Directions of information flow • Continuous stakeholders consultation • Identification of ES • Scenario development • address requirements and interests • Stakeholders information • About processes • About results

10. Long term impact/legacy of VITAL research • Basic understanding of ecological constraints and opportunities for multifunctionality in European grasslands: guide policy and management for future ES delivery. • Raise awareness of farmers, policy makers and the public about non-remarkable biodiversity and its role, especially in soils. • Enhance sustainable delivery of ES with training material (Toolkit) adapted to target groups.

11. How will your project outputs be designed in order maximize appropriate use? • Workshop strategy: present project and outputs, AND elicit feedbacks and perception of actions that need to be taken in the future for sustainable rural development. • Field demonstrations of monitoring methods for assessing functional diversity and ES delivery • Toolkit for managers of mountain grasslands and students: concept of ES, current status of biodiversity, interrelationships of fertility and ES, possible changes under plausible scenarios by 2030, and social, cultural and financial feasibility. • Design jointly options for appropriate policy measures for increasing the provision of ES, along with biodiversity conservation and maintenance of economically viable production.

12. Thank you for your attention...and to our project partners Laboratoire d´Ecologie Alpine CNRS UJF UMR 5553 (LECA) : Lavorel S, Clement JC, Mahmadou B., Geremia, R, Girel, J, Grigulis, K, Colace, MP, Sage, L, Lamarque P, Legay N. Université Claude Bernard Microbial ecology (LEM) : Clays Josserand A., Poly, F, Czarnes, S, Degrange, V Lerondelle C, Commeaux C, Guillaumaud N University of Caen, UMR INRA UCBN 950 Ecophysiology, végétale, Agronomie et nutritions N, C, S. (UCBN) : Laine Ph., Diquélou S, Lavenant S, Personéni E University of Innsbruck, Faculty of Biology / Institute of Ecology (UIBK) : Tappeiner U., Bahn M, Wohlfahrt G, Rubatscher D, Rainer M Lancaster University, Soil and Ecosystem Ecology, (ULAN) , Bardgett R. Helmholtz Zentrum München, Department for Terrestrial Ecogenetics (HELM): Schloter M, Radl, V, Schauss, K, Hai B, Galonska K Universitat de Barcelona, Plant Biology, Facultat de Biologia (UB) : Nogues S., Aranjuelo I, Bort J , Cabrera L, Molero, Baptist F

13. Hypotheses: • Increased dominance of traits linked to conservative or exploitative plant strategies • promotes K- and r-selected microbial species, respectively (Figure 1); • (ii) These plant-microbial linkages will determine C and N cycling rates, and hence the • associated ecosystem services.

14. Patterns of variation in plant and microbial diversity, and N-related ecosystem functioning Microbial functional diversity Plant species and functional diversity Grassland management intensity N availability and total N uptake Lautaret extensification Stubai Extensification/ intensification Yorkshire Dalesrestoration

15. Specific hypothesis Functional traits and plant – soil µorganisms interactions underlying soil N fertility NH4+ Maintenance of SOIL FERTILITY Grazing intensity Defoliation, trampling, labile N redistribution Urea input MINERALISERS NITRIFIERS PLANTS PR1a: Stature, meristem location PR1b: NO3-/NH4+ assimilation TR2: Ability to use fresh versus recalcitrant OM PR3 = TR3: Sensitivity to high NH4+/ urea levels NH4+ supply C & energy supply. OM quality PR3 = TR3 = FE3: Urease activity Growth rate PR1c = TE1: leaf N, phenolics,and root exudates TR2 = TE2 = FE2: Growth rate FE2: Specific activity FE3a: Specific activity nitifiiers. FE3b: Ability use urea as substrate NO3- / NH4+ NO3-

16. Whole plant: veg. plant height rep. plant height clonality defences Leaf: specific leaf area (SLA) leaf dry matter content nutrient concentrations (N, P, C) Reproductive: seed mass flowering phenology pollination mode dispersal mode Max. standing biomass (live and dead) Above-ground net primary production(absolute & specific) Decay rate of litter Soil texture and physical characteristics N fertility index (from non-woody canopy N) Plant traits Ecosystem properties

17. Resources Temperature, humidity Succession Resource acquisition: specific leaf area, specific root length, tissue [N] Resource conservation: leaf life span, nutrient and water use efficiency, C-based defenses PLANT Slow biogeochemical cycles Litter accumulation Low palatability Fast biogeochemical cycles High NPP High palatability FUNCTION SERVICES Carbon sequestration Soil conservation Pest control Fodder production Soil nutrient supply Invertebrate diversity Using plant traits to understandecological trade-offs and synergies in the delivery of multiple ecosystem services