# Aridity may alter the contributions of plants and fungi to grassland functions

## TL;DR

Aridification in grasslands affects biodiversity and ecosystem functions, with plants and fungi playing complementary but conflicting roles.

## Contribution

The study reveals a trade-off between fungal and plant richness in maintaining ecosystem functions under aridification.

## Key findings

- Above- and below-ground biodiversity complement each other in supporting ecosystem multifunctionality.
- Fungal and plant richness show a trade-off in driving ecosystem functions as aridity increases.

## Abstract

Grassland aridification threatens biodiversity which supports ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF), but the relative roles of biota in maintaining EMF are poorly known. A new study in PLoS Biology finds complementarity of above- and belowground biodiversity and a trade-off between fungal and plant richness in driving EMF with aridity.

Grassland aridification threatens biodiversity which supports ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF), but the relative roles of biota in maintaining EMF are poorly known. This Primer explores a new study in PLOS Biology that finds complementarity of above- and below-ground biodiversity and a trade-off between fungal and plant richness in driving EMF with aridity.