Modern agriculture is characterized by monocultures, which rely on external inputs and contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss.
Biodiversity drives ecosystem functions through multiple mechanisms.
The importance of plant–soil feedbacks mediated by soil microbial communities in biodiversity–ecosystem functioning (BEF) relationships for agricultural practices is increasingly recognized.
BEF research can guide the development of agricultural diversification practices that rely not only on species diversity but on mechanisms stemming from composition and functional traits to enhance both above- and belowground ecosystem functions.
We identify how plant diversity may enhance carbon retention in soils via effects on soil microorganisms.
Diversification in agriculture requires a fundamental ecological understanding of underlying mechanisms to alleviate trade-offs between desired ecosystem functions and crop yields.
