Two new studies published in the journal _Nature_ shed new light on how biodiversity influences plant decay. The studies, led by researchers from the University of Zurich and the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, reveal that the diversity of plant species and the number of different types of microorganisms in soil play a key role in determining how quickly plants decompose.

First study: the researchers conducted a field experiment in a forest in Switzerland. They planted 30 different plant species in plots of land, and then tracked how quickly the leaves of these plants decomposed over the course of a year. The researchers found that the rate of decomposition increased with the number of plant species in the plot. This suggests that more diverse plant communities can help to speed up the process of nutrient recycling in the ecosystem.

Second study: the researchers created a series of laboratory experiments to study how the diversity of microorganisms in soil affects the decomposition of leaves. They found that the presence of a greater diversity of microorganisms increased the rate of decomposition. This suggests that the loss of soil biodiversity could slow down the rate of nutrient recycling in ecosystems, negatively impacting ecosystem functioning.

These two studies provide new insights into the role of biodiversity in plant decay. The findings suggest that more diverse plant communities and more diverse soil microbial communities can help to speed up the process of nutrient recycling, which is essential for the functioning of ecosystems.