Norbert Hölzel

Leaf silicon and calcium differ between grassland plant functional groups while only calcium responds to soil background

Abstract Background and Aims Grasslands are biodiversity-rich ecosystems in which plant functional diversity strongly influences ecosystem functioning. Silicon (Si) and calcium (Ca) are often overlooked in trait-based frameworks despite their roles in plant physiology, stress tol...

Land use intensification results in abrupt transitions between extensively and intensively managed grasslands

Abstract Understanding whether land use intensification causes regime shifts (i.e. persistent, large changes in ecosystem states) is of key importance for management, particularly if these shifts occur abruptly as thresholds in land use intensity are crossed. Further, these thres...

Grassland destruction causes shifts in plant traits that persist during recovery

Old-growth grasslands assemble over millennia and support high biodiversity and many ecosystem services, but continue to undergo widespread destruction for production of crops, timber, and minerals. How biodiversity recovers after grassland destruction and the functional conseque...