Project

Restoration of healthland on former arable land: the importance of soil biota for aboveground ecological functioning and consequences for the host plant

Code
3E003407
Duration
01 October 2007 → 30 September 2014
Funding
Regional and community funding: Special Research Fund, Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO)
Promotor
Research disciplines
  • Natural sciences
    • Animal biology
    • Microbiology
    • Plant biology
Keywords
below-aboveground soil biota restoration herbivores pollinators arable land heathland
 
Project description

In this project we address whether belowground biotic interactions can influence aboveground herbivores and mutualists. Moreover, the effect of soil biota on floral traits and its subsequent consequences on the pollination success of plants is studied in order to understand the multitrophic dimension of ecosystems and also to improve the long-term establishment of plant populations in heathlands under restoration programmes.