Functional links of aboveground changes and belowground activity with land use (CRN2014)

The project examines the relationship between land use and cover change (LUCC), climate, and soil microorganisms, specifically arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). Initial findings indicate that AMF species abundance shifts seasonally and that diversity and symbiotic ability decline significantly during warm and dry seasons, potentially disrupting the relationship with host plants. In the páramos region, this research has been applied to create bio-fertilizers that enhance potato growth.

• DNA analysis reveals that dominant arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) taxa exhibit shifts in species abundance even between different seasons, contradicting the expectation that below-ground fungi biodiversity reacts slowly to environmental change.
• The diversity and symbiotic ability of AMF decline significantly during warm and dry seasons, which may lead to the loss of the symbiotic relationship between the fungi and their host plants, potentially reducing plant performance due to climate change.
• Researchers in Bolivia and Ecuador have utilized knowledge of soil microorganisms in the páramos region to develop bio-fertilizers that increase the growth of potatoes.

APA

Berbara, R. L. L., Bever, J. D., Ponce, J. F., Hamel, C., Otero, M. G., Valle, M. E., & Proano, K. (2010). Functional links of aboveground changes and belowground activity with land use (CRN2014). Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research. https://iai.int/admin/site/sites/default/files/uploads/2014/03/CRN2_14.pdf

Chicago

Berbara, Ricardo Luis Louro, James D. Bever, Javier Franco Ponce, Chantal Hamel, Madelin Garciga Otero, Martin Esqueda Valle, and Karina Proano. Functional links of aboveground changes and belowground activity with land use (CRN2014). Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research, 2010. https://iai.int/admin/site/sites/default/files/uploads/2014/03/CRN2_14.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Berbara |first1=Ricardo Luis Louro |last2=Bever |first2=James D. |last3=Ponce |first3=Javier Franco |last4=Hamel |first4=Chantal |last5=Otero |first5=Madelin Garciga |last6=Valle |first6=Martin Esqueda |last7=Proano |first7=Karina |title=Functional links of aboveground changes and belowground activity with land use (CRN2014) |publisher=Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research |date=February 2010 |url=https://iai.int/admin/site/sites/default/files/uploads/2014/03/CRN2_14.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{berbara2010functional, author = {Berbara, Ricardo Luis Louro and Bever, James D. and Ponce, Javier Franco and Hamel, Chantal and Otero, Madelin Garciga and Valle, Martin Esqueda and Proano, Karina}, title = {{Functional links of aboveground changes and belowground activity with land use (CRN2014)}}, institution = {Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research}, year = {2010}, month = feb, url = {https://iai.int/admin/site/sites/default/files/uploads/2014/03/CRN2_14.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }