The study shows that warmer microclimates in forest gaps boost biodiversity in colder regions but not in warmer ones, suggesting climate-specific forest management strategies.

bioRxiv · Oct 21, 2026 · PreprintEcology

Enhanced forest heterogeneity drives stronger functional than taxonomic shifts in soil nematodes

Rike Schwarz, Pia M. Bradler, Anne Chao, Marcel Ciobanu, Orsi Decker, Benjamin M. Delory, Peter Dietrich, Andreas Fichtner, Ludwig Lettenmaier, Michael Junginger, Oliver Mitesser, Jörg C. Müller, Goddert von Oheimb, Kerstin Pierick, Nico Eisenhauer, Simone Cesarz

The paper manipulates forest structural complexity to study its effects on soil nematode diversity, finding functional diversity responds more strongly than taxonomic diversity to structural changes.

bioRxiv · Aug 30, 2025 · PreprintEcology

Inconsistent short-term effects of enhanced structural complexity on soil microbial properties across German forests

Rike Schwarz, Nico Eisenhauer, Christian Ammer, Pia M. Bradler, Orsi Decker, Benjamin M. Delory, Peter Dietrich, Andreas Fichtner, Yuanyuan Huang, Ludwig Lettenmaier, Michael Junginger, Oliver Mitesser, Jörg C. Müller, Goddert von Oheimb, Kerstin Pierick, , Simone Cesarz

This study examines how enhancing structural complexity in German forests affects soil microbial properties, finding site-specific effects influenced by soil moisture and understorey vegetation.

Applied Soil Ecology · Jul 23, 2025Peer-reviewedEcology