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  1. Article ; Online: Diverse forests are cool

    Rémy Beugnon / Emma Ladouceur / Marie Sünnemann / Simone Cesarz / Nico Eisenhauer

    Journal of Sustainable Agriculture and Environment, Vol 1, Iss 1, Pp 5-

    Promoting diverse forests to mitigate carbon emissions and climate change

    2022  Volume 8

    Abstract: Abstract Climate change is one of the most pressing threats to humanity, inducing a global increase in temperatures and more frequent extreme climatic events. Considering this, global reforestation initiatives are proposed to capture carbon and mitigate ... ...

    Abstract Abstract Climate change is one of the most pressing threats to humanity, inducing a global increase in temperatures and more frequent extreme climatic events. Considering this, global reforestation initiatives are proposed to capture carbon and mitigate climate change. Global restoration and reforestation programs and their targets have inspired both unparalleled enthusiasm worldwide and intense scientific criticism and debate regarding their feasibility and implementation. We agree that global reforestation forecasting and efforts require a nuanced discussion and approach. In that vein, we would like to emphasize the potential of increasing existing forest diversity to enhance climate change mitigation by increasing aboveground and belowground carbon storage. Moreover, we argue that focusing on planting diverse forests in reforestation efforts can help to reduce climate change effects on ecosystems: first, by increasing resistance and resilience to extreme climatic events, and second, by buffering microclimatic conditions in natural and urban areas. Diversifying forests plantations and reforestation projects may not always be feasible and cannot solve the climate crisis by itself. However, we highlight that a focus on diverse forests could maximize the benefits of reforestation programs by promoting sustainable land management.
    Keywords biodiversity‐ecosystem functioning ; carbon storage ; climate mitigation ; ecosystem services ; microclimate buffering ; Agriculture (General) ; S1-972 ; Environmental sciences ; GE1-350
    Subject code 333
    Language English
    Publishing date 2022-03-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher Wiley
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  2. Article ; Online: Effects of steam sterilization on soil abiotic and biotic properties

    Peter Dietrich / Simone Cesarz / Nico Eisenhauer / Christiane Roscher

    Soil Organisms, Vol 92, Iss

    2020  Volume 2

    Abstract: Experiments under natural conditions are becoming increasingly important to investigate the impacts of global change on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, but field experiments are not always feasible. Climate or biodiversity chamber experiments can ...

    Abstract Experiments under natural conditions are becoming increasingly important to investigate the impacts of global change on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, but field experiments are not always feasible. Climate or biodiversity chamber experiments can be an alternative, which, however, require large amounts of soil substrate. If only low amounts of target soil are available, high quantities of background soil must be sterilized and inoculated with target soil. One of the commonly used methods to sterilize large amounts of background soil is steam sterilization, because it is simple, fast and cheap. However, there is a lack of knowledge, whether steam sterilization is an effective method to completely eliminate all organisms in the soil (in particular heat-resistant organisms) as well as if and how it alters soil abiotic conditions like nutrient concentrations. Therefore, we tested which organisms survived the sterilization treatment and if the effectiveness can be improved by repeated steam sterilization. Additionally, we checked whether steam sterilization changes soil pH, carbon and nutrient concentrations, and whether this is strengthened by a double sterilization treatment. To study this, we steam-sterilized 2 m3 sand-soil mix (1:4) for 150 min, stored it for 12 days at ambient temperature (for the germination of heat-resistant organisms) and repeated the sterilization procedure. We found a 27 % reduction in microbial biomass carbon after the first sterilization treatment and a 51 % reduction after the second sterilization treatment compared to untreated soil. Nematodes were almost completely eliminated (97 % after second treatment), while rotifers largely remained unchanged. Soil pH and plant-available phosphorus concentration increased after the first sterilization treatment (pH: from 7.44 to 7.79; phosphorus: +28 %). Phosphorus concentration increased further after the second sterilization treatment (+53 % compared to untreated soil), while pH remained unchanged (7.77). Plant-available potassium and total carbon concentrations decreased after the first treatment (potassium: -19 %; carbon: -5 %), while total carbon further decreased (-8 % compared to untreated soil) and potassium remained unchanged after the second treatment. Taken together, our study highlights that (single and double) steam-sterilization treatments were only partially effective, i.e. non-complete elimination of soil organisms, and additionally influenced soil properties. Nevertheless, steam sterilization is a fast and cost-effective alternative to other sterilization methods, especially when large amounts of soil substrate are needed. Therefore, if so, we recommend to use steam sterilization, but to sterilize the soil twice to significantly reduce the number of soil organisms, and further consider potential side effects, such as an increase in plant-available phosphorous concentration.
    Keywords microbial biomass ; nematodes ; plant-available phosphorus ; plant-available potassium ; soil biodiversity ; Microbiology ; QR1-502 ; Zoology ; QL1-991
    Subject code 630 ; 550
    Language English
    Publishing date 2020-08-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  3. Article ; Online: Effects of steam sterilization on soil abiotic and biotic properties

    Peter Dietrich / Simone Cesarz / Nico Eisenhauer / Christiane Roscher

    Soil Organisms, Vol 92, Iss

    2020  Volume 2

    Abstract: Experiments under natural conditions are becoming increasingly important to investigate the impacts of global change on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, but field experiments are not always feasible. Climate or biodiversity chamber experiments can ...

    Abstract Experiments under natural conditions are becoming increasingly important to investigate the impacts of global change on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, but field experiments are not always feasible. Climate or biodiversity chamber experiments can be an alternative, which, however, require large amounts of soil substrate. If only low amounts of target soil are available, high quantities of background soil must be sterilized and inoculated with target soil. One of the commonly used methods to sterilize large amounts of background soil is steam sterilization, because it is simple, fast and cheap. However, there is a lack of knowledge, whether steam sterilization is an effective method to completely eliminate all organisms in the soil (in particular heat-resistant organisms) as well as if and how it alters soil abiotic conditions like nutrient concentrations. Therefore, we tested which organisms survived the sterilization treatment and if the effectiveness can be improved by repeated steam sterilization. Additionally, we checked whether steam sterilization changes soil pH, carbon and nutrient concentrations, and whether this is strengthened by a double sterilization treatment. To study this, we steam-sterilized 2 m3 sand-soil mix (1:4) for 150 min, stored it for 12 days at ambient temperature (for the germination of heat-resistant organisms) and repeated the sterilization procedure. We found a 27 % reduction in microbial biomass carbon after the first sterilization treatment and a 51 % reduction after the second sterilization treatment compared to untreated soil. Nematodes were almost completely eliminated (97 % after second treatment), while rotifers largely remained unchanged. Soil pH and plant-available phosphorus concentration increased after the first sterilization treatment (pH: from 7.44 to 7.79; phosphorus: +28 %). Phosphorus concentration increased further after the second sterilization treatment (+53 % compared to untreated soil), while pH remained unchanged (7.77). Plant-available potassium and total carbon concentrations decreased after the first treatment (potassium: -19 %; carbon: -5 %), while total carbon further decreased (-8 % compared to untreated soil) and potassium remained unchanged after the second treatment. Taken together, our study highlights that (single and double) steam-sterilization treatments were only partially effective, i.e. non-complete elimination of soil organisms, and additionally influenced soil properties. Nevertheless, steam sterilization is a fast and cost-effective alternative to other sterilization methods, especially when large amounts of soil substrate are needed. Therefore, if so, we recommend to use steam sterilization, but to sterilize the soil twice to significantly reduce the number of soil organisms, and further consider potential side effects, such as an increase in plant-available phosphorous concentration.
    Keywords microbial biomass ; nematodes ; plant-available phosphorus ; plant-available potassium ; soil biodiversity ; Microbiology ; QR1-502 ; Zoology ; QL1-991
    Subject code 630 ; 550
    Language English
    Publishing date 2020-08-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  4. Article ; Online: Effects of steam sterilization on soil abiotic and biotic properties

    Peter Dietrich / Simone Cesarz / Nico Eisenhauer / Christiane Roscher

    Soil Organisms, Vol 92, Iss 2, Pp 99-

    2020  Volume 108

    Abstract: Experiments under natural conditions are becoming increasingly important to investigate the impacts of global change on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, but field experiments are not always feasible. Climate or biodiversity chamber experiments can ...

    Abstract Experiments under natural conditions are becoming increasingly important to investigate the impacts of global change on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, but field experiments are not always feasible. Climate or biodiversity chamber experiments can be an alternative, which, however, require large amounts of soil substrate. If only low amounts of target soil are available, high quantities of background soil must be sterilized and inoculated with target soil. One of the commonly used methods to sterilize large amounts of background soil is steam sterilization, because it is simple, fast and cheap. However, there is a lack of knowledge, whether steam sterilization is an effective method to completely eliminate all organisms in the soil (in particular heat-resistant organisms) as well as if and how it alters soil abiotic conditions like nutrient concentrations. Therefore, we tested which organisms survived the sterilization treatment and if the effectiveness can be improved by repeated steam sterilization. Additionally, we checked whether steam sterilization changes soil pH, carbon and nutrient concentrations, and whether this is strengthened by a double sterilization treatment. To study this, we steam-sterilized 2 m3 sand-soil mix (1:4) for 150 min, stored it for 12 days at ambient temperature (for the germination of heat-resistant organisms) and repeated the sterilization procedure. We found a 27 % reduction in microbial biomass carbon after the first sterilization treatment and a 51 % reduction after the second sterilization treatment compared to untreated soil. Nematodes were almost completely eliminated (97 % after second treatment), while rotifers largely remained unchanged. Soil pH and plant-available phosphorus concentration increased after the first sterilization treatment (pH: from 7.44 to 7.79; phosphorus: +28 %). Phosphorus concentration increased further after the second sterilization treatment (+53 % compared to untreated soil), while pH remained unchanged (7.77). Plant-available potassium and ...
    Keywords microbial biomass ; nematodes ; plant-available phosphorus ; plant-available potassium ; soil biodiversity ; Microbiology ; QR1-502 ; Zoology ; QL1-991
    Subject code 630 ; 550
    Language English
    Publishing date 2020-08-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  5. Article ; Online: Soil quality, leaf litter quality, and microbial biomass interactively drive soil respiration in a microcosm experiment

    Mengyun Liu / Simone Cesarz / Nico Eisenhauer / Hanping Xia / Shenglei Fu / Dylan Craven

    Soil Organisms, Vol 93, Iss

    2021  Volume 3

    Abstract: Soil respiration plays a central role in global carbon dynamics, and small changes in the magnitude of soil respiration could have large impacts on atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Heterotrophic soil respiration mainly comes from microbial mineralization ... ...

    Abstract Soil respiration plays a central role in global carbon dynamics, and small changes in the magnitude of soil respiration could have large impacts on atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Heterotrophic soil respiration mainly comes from microbial mineralization of soil organic matter and decomposition of plant litter, yet only a few studies have addressed the combined effects of interactions among leaf litter quality, soil quality, and microbial biomass on soil respiration. We conducted a microcosm experiment using three soils from three forest sites representing a gradient in soil quality, comprised of soil pH and C:N ratio, and six tree litter types (from the same forests), encompassing a gradient in leaf nutrient and lignin concentrations. We followed soil CO2 emissions, soil basal respiration (measured as O2-consumption), and microbial biomass over twelve weeks to examine variation in response to leaf litter and soil quality and their interactions. Our results show that soil CO2 emissions increased significantly with soil quality and leaf litter quality respectively, and these effects were mediated by interactions with soil microbial biomass. Moreover, we found idiosyncratic interactive effects of leaf litter quality and microbial biomass on soil CO2 emissions across the gradient in soil quality. The sensitivity of soil respiration to soil quality and the interactions between leaf litter quality and soil microbial biomass suggests that global change drivers altering forest composition and soil community composition may have significant cascading effects on the soil carbon cycle.
    Keywords Aboveground-belowground interactions ; carbon cycle ; decomposition ; leaf litter C dynamics ; leaf litter traits ; context-dependency ; Microbiology ; QR1-502 ; Zoology ; QL1-991
    Language English
    Publishing date 2021-12-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  6. Article ; Online: Soil microarthropods alter the outcome of plant-soil feedback experiments

    Eliška Kuťáková / Simone Cesarz / Zuzana Münzbergová / Nico Eisenhauer

    Scientific Reports, Vol 8, Iss 1, Pp 1-

    2018  Volume 11

    Abstract: Abstract Plant-soil feedback (PSF) effects are studied as plant growth responses to soil previously conditioned by another plant. These studies usually exclude effects of soil fauna, such as nematodes, soil arthropods, and earthworms, although these ... ...

    Abstract Abstract Plant-soil feedback (PSF) effects are studied as plant growth responses to soil previously conditioned by another plant. These studies usually exclude effects of soil fauna, such as nematodes, soil arthropods, and earthworms, although these organisms are known to influence plant performance. Here, we aimed to explore effects of a model microarthropod community on PSFs. We performed a PSF experiment in microcosms with two plant species, Phleum pratense and Poa pratensis. We added a model microarthropod community consisting of three fungivorous springtail species (Proisotoma minuta, Folsomia candida, and Sinella curviseta) and a predatory mite (Hypoaspis aculeifer) to half of the microcosms. We measured seedling establishment and plant biomass, nematode and microbial community composition, microbial biomass, and mycorrhizal colonization of roots. Microarthropods caused changes in the composition of nematode and microbial communities. Their effect was particularly strong in Phleum plants where they altered the composition of bacterial communities. Microarthropods also generally influenced plant performance, and their effects depended on previous soil conditioning and the identity of plant species. Microarthropods did not affect soil microbial biomass and mycorrhizal colonization of roots. We conclude that the role of soil microarthropods should be considered in future PSF experiments, especially as their effects are plant species-specific.
    Keywords Medicine ; R ; Science ; Q
    Subject code 580
    Language English
    Publishing date 2018-08-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher Nature Publishing Group
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  7. Article ; Online: Testing soil nematode extraction efficiency using different variations of the Baermann-funnel method

    Simone Cesarz / Annika Eva Schulz / Rémy Beugnon / Nico Eisenhauer

    Soil Organisms, Vol 91, Iss 2, Pp 61-

    2019  Volume 72

    Abstract: Nematodes are increasingly used as powerful bioindicators of soil food web composition and functioning in ecological studies. Todays’ ecological research aims to investigate not only local relationships but global patterns, which requires consistent ... ...

    Abstract Nematodes are increasingly used as powerful bioindicators of soil food web composition and functioning in ecological studies. Todays’ ecological research aims to investigate not only local relationships but global patterns, which requires consistent methodology across locations. Thus, a common and easy extraction protocol of soil nematodes is needed. In this study, we present a detailed protocol of the Baermann-funnel method and highlight how different soil pre-treatments and equipment (soil type, soil height, sieving, and filter type) can affect extraction efficiency and community composition by using natural nematode communities. We found that highest nematode extraction efficiency was achieved using lowest soil height as indicated by the thickness of the soil sample in the extractor due to differences in soil weight (1, 2, or 4 cm soil height) in combination with soil sieving (instead of no sieving), and by using milk filters (instead of paper towels). PCA at the family level revealed that different pre-treatments significantly affected nematode community composition. Increasing the height of the soil sample by adding more soil increased the proportion of larger-sized nematodes likely because those are able to overcome long distances but selected against small nematodes. Sieving is suggested to break up soil aggregates and, therefore, facilitate moving in general. Interestingly, sieving did not negatively affect larger nematodes that are supposed to have a higher probability of getting bruised during sieving but, even if not significant, yielded more extracted nematodes than no sieving. We therefore recommend to use small heights of sieved soil with milk filter to extract free-living soil nematodes with the Baermann-funnel method. The present study shows that variations in the extraction protocol can alter the total density and community composition of extracted nematodes and provides recommendations for an efficient and standardized approach in future studies. Having a simple, cheap, and standardized extraction protocol can facilitate the assessment of soil biodiversity in global contexts.
    Keywords soil organisms ; comparability ; reproducibility ; extraction methods ; Microbiology ; QR1-502 ; Zoology ; QL1-991
    Subject code 630
    Language English
    Publishing date 2019-08-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  8. Article ; Online: Testing soil nematode extraction efficiency using different variations of the Baermann-funnel method

    Simone Cesarz / Annika Eva Schulz / Rémy Beugnon / Nico Eisenhauer

    Soil Organisms, Vol 91, Iss

    2019  Volume 2

    Abstract: Nematodes are increasingly used as powerful bioindicators of soil food web composition and functioning in ecological studies. Todays’ ecological research aims to investigate not only local relationships but global patterns, which requires consistent ... ...

    Abstract Nematodes are increasingly used as powerful bioindicators of soil food web composition and functioning in ecological studies. Todays’ ecological research aims to investigate not only local relationships but global patterns, which requires consistent methodology across locations. Thus, a common and easy extraction protocol of soil nematodes is needed. In this study, we present a detailed protocol of the Baermann-funnel method and highlight how different soil pre-treatments and equipment (soil type, soil height, sieving, and filter type) can affect extraction efficiency and community composition by using natural nematode communities. We found that highest nematode extraction efficiency was achieved using lowest soil height as indicated by the thickness of the soil sample in the extractor due to differences in soil weight (1, 2, or 4 cm soil height) in combination with soil sieving (instead of no sieving), and by using milk filters (instead of paper towels). PCA at the family level revealed that different pre-treatments significantly affected nematode community composition. Increasing the height of the soil sample by adding more soil increased the proportion of larger-sized nematodes likely because those are able to overcome long distances but selected against small nematodes. Sieving is suggested to break up soil aggregates and, therefore, facilitate moving in general. Interestingly, sieving did not negatively affect larger nematodes that are supposed to have a higher probability of getting bruised during sieving but, even if not significant, yielded more extracted nematodes than no sieving. We therefore recommend to use small heights of sieved soil with milk filter to extract free-living soil nematodes with the Baermann-funnel method. The present study shows that variations in the extraction protocol can alter the total density and community composition of extracted nematodes and provides recommendations for an efficient and standardized approach in future studies. Having a simple, cheap, and standardized extraction protocol can facilitate the assessment of soil biodiversity in global contexts.
    Keywords soil organisms ; comparability ; reproducibility ; extraction methods ; Microbiology ; QR1-502 ; Zoology ; QL1-991
    Subject code 630
    Language English
    Publishing date 2019-08-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  9. Article ; Online: Testing soil nematode extraction efficiency using different variations of the Baermann-funnel method

    Simone Cesarz / Annika Eva Schulz / Rémy Beugnon / Nico Eisenhauer

    Soil Organisms, Vol 91, Iss 2, Pp 61-

    2019  Volume 72

    Abstract: Nematodes are increasingly used as powerful bioindicators of soil food web composition and functioning in ecological studies. Todays’ ecological research aims to investigate not only local relationships but global patterns, which requires consistent ... ...

    Abstract Nematodes are increasingly used as powerful bioindicators of soil food web composition and functioning in ecological studies. Todays’ ecological research aims to investigate not only local relationships but global patterns, which requires consistent methodology across locations. Thus, a common and easy extraction protocol of soil nematodes is needed. In this study, we present a detailed protocol of the Baermann-funnel method and highlight how different soil pre-treatments and equipment (soil type, soil height, sieving, and filter type) can affect extraction efficiency and community composition by using natural nematode communities. We found that highest nematode extraction efficiency was achieved using lowest soil height as indicated by the thickness of the soil sample in the extractor due to differences in soil weight (1, 2, or 4 cm soil height) in combination with soil sieving (instead of no sieving), and by using milk filters (instead of paper towels). PCA at the family level revealed that different pre-treatments significantly affected nematode community composition. Increasing the height of the soil sample by adding more soil increased the proportion of larger-sized nematodes likely because those are able to overcome long distances but selected against small nematodes. Sieving is suggested to break up soil aggregates and, therefore, facilitate moving in general. Interestingly, sieving did not negatively affect larger nematodes that are supposed to have a higher probability of getting bruised during sieving but, even if not significant, yielded more extracted nematodes than no sieving. We therefore recommend to use small heights of sieved soil with milk filter to extract free-living soil nematodes with the Baermann-funnel method. The present study shows that variations in the extraction protocol can alter the total density and community composition of extracted nematodes and provides recommendations for an efficient and standardized approach in future studies. Having a simple, cheap, and standardized extraction protocol can facilitate the assessment of soil biodiversity in global contexts.
    Keywords soil organisms ; comparability ; reproducibility ; extraction methods ; Microbiology ; QR1-502 ; Zoology ; QL1-991
    Subject code 630
    Language English
    Publishing date 2019-08-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  10. Article ; Online: Variations in trophic niches of generalist predators with plant community composition as indicated by stable isotopes and fatty acids

    Odette González Macé / Anne Ebeling / Nico Eisenhauer / Simone Cesarz / Stefan Scheu

    Soil Organisms, Vol 91, Iss

    2019  Volume 2

    Abstract: Arthropods are a dominant component of biodiversity in terrestrial ecosystems. They are considered pest control agents and drive important ecosystem processes like nutrient cycling. However, such ecosystem effects of arthropods may depend on the ... ...

    Abstract Arthropods are a dominant component of biodiversity in terrestrial ecosystems. They are considered pest control agents and drive important ecosystem processes like nutrient cycling. However, such ecosystem effects of arthropods may depend on the environmental context influencing nutrition and behaviour. In the framework of a grassland plant diversity experiment (Jena Experiment), we used stable isotope and fatty acid analysis to investigate intraspecific variations in the diet of two of the most abundant predatory arthropods in grasslands: the ground beetle Harpalus rufipes and the wolf spider Trochosa ruricola. The results show that the diet of H. rufipes varied significantly with plant species diversity, consuming more plant material, probably seeds, at high diversity plots, and in the presence of grasses and small herbs. By contrast, in presence of legumes H. rufipes consumed more animal prey, presumably aphids and/or collembolans. Compared to H. rufipes, the diet of T. ruricola consisted of animal prey only and varied mainly with body size, with larger individuals occupying higher trophic position in the food web. Moreover, the diet of T. ruricola changed in response to summer flooding two months before sampling. Presumably, the availability of secondary decomposer prey as well as intraguild prey was increased in severely flooded plots. As both species are considered pest control agents, the results underline the importance of plant diversity and the composition of plant communities for biological pest control.
    Keywords spider ; Lycosidae ; beetle ; Carabidae ; grassland ; diet ; Microbiology ; QR1-502 ; Zoology ; QL1-991
    Subject code 580
    Language English
    Publishing date 2019-08-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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