Root functional parameters predict fine root decomposability at the community level

1. Root quality is one of the main drivers of fine root decomposition, an important process controlling soil carbon (C) and nutrient cycling in most terrestrial ecosystems. Root quality is defined by chemical and morphological traits, which differ across species and thus communities. This trait variation is assumed to follow a trade-off between resource acquisition and conservation (i.e. the root economics spectrum). To what extent root quality or the economics spectrum influence fine root decomposition rates at the community level remains poorly understood, particularly within the context of land use change. 2. Changes in land use induce shifts in plant community composition, which also affect root distribution within the soil profile, resulting in changes in root quality. We hypothesize that at the community level, i) root decomposability is driven by community root functional parameters (i.e. root traits measured at the community level), ii) changes in root functional parameters amon...