Above-ground grazing affects floristic composition and modifies soil trophic interactions

There are few data on the functional inter-relationships between above- and below-ground components of soil ecosystems. Here, we report changes in below-ground soil invertebrate trophic relationships (manifested as alterations in stable isotope natural abundances, δ13C and δ15N) that arose in association with the removal of sheep grazing and from the resulting changes in above-ground floristic composition. Consequent to grazing removal, Lolium perenne L. (perennial rye-grass) was replaced as the dominant plant species in ungrazed treatments by Ranunculus repens L. (creeping buttercup), a species with more 13C-enriched foliage. Consequently, all invertebrate functional groups studied, but not whole soil, were more 13C-enriched in ungrazed treatments. Earthworms (detritivore) from grazed treatments were significantly 15N-enriched compared with earthworms from ungrazed treatments. In contrast, slug (herbivore) δ15N exhibited no treatment effect. Reasons for this are unclear but may be related to the effects of above-ground grazing on the composition of below-ground microbial/microfaunal communities. Omnivores/carnivores (beetles and spiders), were more 15N-enriched than primary producers in the grazed than in the ungrazed treatments (6 vs. 4‰) suggesting a longer below-ground foodchain in the grazed plots. The cessation of fertilizer application had no comparable effects on below-ground trophic relationships.