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The TeaComposition Initiative: Unleashing the power of international collaboration to understand litter decomposition

Authors

  • Ika Djukic Zürcherstrasse 111 CH-8903 Birmensdorf
  • Carlos A. Guerra German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Germany & Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
  • Fernando T. Maestre Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnología, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Móstoles, Spain & Departamento de Ecología and Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio “Ramón Margalef, Universidad de Alicante, Alicante, Spain
  • Frank Hagedorn Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Switzerland
  • Alessandro Oggioni Institute for Electromagnetic Sensing of the Environment (CNR-IREA), Milano, Italy
  • Caterina Bergami Institute of Marine Sciences (CNR-ISMAR), Bologna, Italy
  • Barbara Magagna Environment Agency Austria, Ecosystem Research and Environmental Information Management, Vienna, Austria
  • TaeOh Kwon Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere
  • Hideaki Shibata Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere
  • Nico Eisenhauer German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Germany & Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
  • Guillaume Patoine German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Germany & Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
  • Michael Bierbaumer Reichergasse 48, 3411 Klosterneuburg-Weidling, Austria
  • Sebastian Kepfer-Rojas Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
  • Inger Kappel Schmidt Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
  • Klaus Steenberg Larsen Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
  • Claus Beier Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
  • Björn Berg Department of Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki, Finland & Section of Biology, University of Gävle, Sweden
  • Kris Verheyen Forest & Nature Lab, Department of Forest and Water Management, Ghent University, Belgium
  • Stacey M. Trevathan-Tackett Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Australia
  • Peter I. Macreadie Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Australia
  • TeaComposition initiative

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25674/so93iss1pp73

Keywords:

Litter Carbon Turnover, Tea bag, Essential variable, Networking the Networks, Standard Observations

Abstract

Collected harmonized data on global litter decomposition are of great relevance for scientists, policymakers, and for education of the next generation of researchers and environmental managers. Here we describe the TeaComposition initiative, a global and open research collaborative network to study organic matter decomposition in a standardized way allowing comparison of decomposition rate and carbon turnover across global and regional gradients of ecosystems, climate, soils etc. The TeaComposition initiative today involves 570 terrestrial and 300 aquatic ecosystems from nine biomes worldwide.  Further, we describe how to get involved in the TeaComposition initiative by (a) implementing the standard protocol within your study site, (b) joining task forces in data analyses, syntheses and modelling efforts, (c) using collected data and samples for further analyses through joint projects, (d) using collected data for graduate seminars, and (e) strengthening synergies between biogeochemical research and a wide range of stakeholders. These collaborative efforts within/emerging from the TeaComposition initiative, thereby, will leverage our understanding  on litter decomposition at the global scale and strengthen global collaborations  essential for addressing grand scientific challenges in a rapidly changing world.

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Published

2021-04-01 — Updated on 2021-04-01

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How to Cite

Djukic, I., Guerra, C. A. ., Maestre, F. T., Hagedorn, F., Oggioni, A. ., Bergami, C., Magagna, B. ., Kwon, T., Shibata, H., Eisenhauer, N., Patoine, G. ., Bierbaumer, M., Kepfer-Rojas, S., Kappel Schmidt, I., Steenberg Larsen, K., Beier, C., Berg, B., Verheyen, K., Trevathan-Tackett, S. M. ., Macreadie, P. I. ., & initiative, T. (2021). The TeaComposition Initiative: Unleashing the power of international collaboration to understand litter decomposition . SOIL ORGANISMS, 93(1), 73–78. https://doi.org/10.25674/so93iss1pp73

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CALL FOR COLLABORATION