Plant species richness as a strategy to improve soil quality and increase forage yield in a tropical ecosystem
Tanikely Oliveira Almeida·Edicarlos Damacena Souza·Tiago Gonçalves Cuissi·Frederico Costa Beber Vieira·Emilio Carlos de Azevedo·Leticia Rosa Gasques·Bruno Ricardo Silva Costa·Ladislau Martin-Neto·José Carlos Batista Dubeux Junior·Paulo César de Faccio Carvalho·Gabriela Castro Pires·Laércio Santos Silva
Abstract Background and Aims Plant species richness can provide a range of benefits to the soil, since mixtures of species with contrasting functional traits enhance soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks. However, there is still limited information on the impact of increased plant species richness on tropical forage systems. This study evaluated whether increasing plant species affects soil quality attributes and forage yield in a tropical ecosystem. Methods The experiment consisted of five treatment