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Luo YH, Ma LL, Cadotte MW, Seibold S, Zou JY, Burgess KS, Tan SL, Ye LJ, Zheng W, Chen ZF, Liu DT, Zhu GF, Shi XC, Zhao W, Bi Z, Huang XY, Li JH, Liu J, Li DZ, Gao LM. Testing the ectomycorrhizal-dominance hypothesis for ecosystem multifunctionality in a subtropical mountain forest. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 243:2401-2415. [PMID: 39073209 DOI: 10.1111/nph.20003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Mycorrhizal associations are key mutualisms that shape the structure of forest communities and multiple ecosystem functions. However, we lack a framework for predicting the varying dominance of distinct mycorrhizal associations in an integrated proxy of multifunctionality across ecosystems. Here, we used the datasets containing diversity of mycorrhizal associations and 18 ecosystem processes related to supporting, provisioning, and regulating services to examine how the dominance of ectomycorrhiza (EcM) associations affects ecosystem multifunctionality in subtropical mountain forests in Southwest China. Meanwhile, we synthesized the prevalence of EcM-dominant effects on ecosystem functioning in forest biomes. Our results demonstrated that elevation significantly modified the distributions of EcM trees and fungal dominance, which in turn influenced multiple functions simultaneously. Multifunctionality increased with increasing proportion of EcM associations, supporting the ectomycorrhizal-dominance hypothesis. Meanwhile, we observed that the impacts of EcM dominance on individual ecosystem functions exhibited different relationships among forest biomes. Our findings highlight the importance of ectomycorrhizal dominance in regulating multifunctionality in subtropical forests. However, this ectomycorrhizal feedback in shaping ecosystem functions cannot necessarily be generalized across forests. Therefore, we argue that the predictions for ecosystem multifunctionality in response to the shifts of mycorrhizal composition could vary across space and time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Huang Luo
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Diversity and Specialty Crops, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
- Lijiang Forest Biodiversity National Observation and Research Station, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lijiang, 674100, China
| | - Liang-Liang Ma
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Marc W Cadotte
- Biological Sciences, University of Toronto-Scarborough, Toronto, ON, M1C1A4, Canada
| | - Sebastian Seibold
- Forest Zoology, TUD Dresden University of Technology, Tharandt, 01737, Germany
- Ecosystem Dynamics and Forest Management Research Group, Department for Ecology and Ecosystem Management, Technical University of Munich, Freising, 85354, Germany
- Berchtesgaden National Park, Berchtesgaden, 83471, Germany
| | - Jia-Yun Zou
- Forest Zoology, TUD Dresden University of Technology, Tharandt, 01737, Germany
- Ecosystem Dynamics and Forest Management Research Group, Department for Ecology and Ecosystem Management, Technical University of Munich, Freising, 85354, Germany
| | - Kevin S Burgess
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Mercer University School of Medicine, Columbus, GA, 31901, USA
| | - Shao-Lin Tan
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Lin-Jiang Ye
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Wei Zheng
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Zhi-Fa Chen
- Kunming Botanical Garden, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - De-Tuan Liu
- Yunnan Key Laboratory for Integrative Conservation of Plant Species with Extremely Small Populations, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Guang-Fu Zhu
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Xiao-Chun Shi
- Gaoligongshan National Nature Reserve Baoshan Bureau, Baoshan, 678000, China
| | - Wei Zhao
- Gaoligongshan National Nature Reserve Baoshan Bureau, Baoshan, 678000, China
| | - Zheng Bi
- Gaoligongshan National Nature Reserve Baoshan Bureau Tengchong Division, Baoshan, 679100, China
| | - Xiang-Yuan Huang
- Gaoligongshan National Nature Reserve Baoshan Bureau Tengchong Division, Baoshan, 679100, China
| | - Jia-Hua Li
- Gaoligongshan National Nature Reserve Baoshan Bureau Longyang Division, Baoshan, 678000, China
| | - Jie Liu
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
- Lijiang Forest Biodiversity National Observation and Research Station, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lijiang, 674100, China
| | - De-Zhu Li
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
- Lijiang Forest Biodiversity National Observation and Research Station, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lijiang, 674100, China
| | - Lian-Ming Gao
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Diversity and Specialty Crops, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
- Lijiang Forest Biodiversity National Observation and Research Station, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lijiang, 674100, China
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2
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Veresoglou SD, Xi J, Peñuelas J. Mechanisms of coexistence: Exploring species sorting and character displacement in woody plants to alleviate belowground competition. Ecol Lett 2024; 27:e14489. [PMID: 39075934 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024]
Abstract
Rarely do we observe competitive exclusion within plant communities, even though plants compete for a limited pool of resources. Thus, our understanding of the mechanisms sustaining plant biodiversity might be limited. In this study, we explore two common ecological strategies, species sorting and character displacement, that promote coexistence by reducing competition. We assess the degree to which woody plants may implement these two strategies to lower belowground competition for nutrients which occurs via nutritional (mostly mycorrhizal) mutualisms. First, we compile data on plant traits and the mycorrhizal association state of woody angiosperms using a global inventory of indigenous flora. Our analysis reveals that species in locations with high mycorrhizal diversity exhibit distinct mean values in leaf area and wood density based on their mycorrhizal type, indicating species sorting. Second, we reanalyse a large dataset on leaf area to demonstrate that in areas with high mycorrhizal diversity, trees maintain divergent leaf area values, showcasing character displacement. Character displacement among plants is considered rare, making our observation significant. In summary, our study uncovers a rare occurrence of character displacement and identifies a common mechanism employed by plants to alleviate competition, shedding light on the complexities of plant coexistence in diverse ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stavros D Veresoglou
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Ecology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jingjing Xi
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Ecology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Josep Peñuelas
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- CREAF, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
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3
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Grünfeld L, Skias G, Rillig MC, Veresoglou SD. Arbuscular mycorrhizal root colonization depends on the spatial distribution of the host plants. MYCORRHIZA 2022; 32:387-395. [PMID: 35794357 PMCID: PMC9561028 DOI: 10.1007/s00572-022-01087-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Despite their ubiquity in terrestrial ecosystems, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) experience dispersion constraints and thus depend on the spatial distribution of the plant hosts. Our understanding of fungal-plant interactions with respect to their spatial distributions and implications for the functioning of the symbiosis remain limited. We here manipulated the location of habitat patches of Medicago lupulina in two experiments to explore the responses of AMF root colonization and extraradical hyphae. We tested the specific hypothesis that AMF-plant habitats high in connectance would stimulate root colonization and induce denser functional root colonization (colonization rate of arbuscules plus coils) because of higher propagule availability between nearby host plant patches (experiment 1). In experiment 2, we anticipated similar responses in mixed habitats of different soil fertility, namely phosphorus-fertilized or unfertilized soil, and anticipated a higher density of extraradical hyphae in the soil connecting the habitats with increased functional root colonization. In agreement with our hypothesis, we found the highest total and functional root colonization in unfragmented micro-landscapes, describing landscapes that occur within a spatial scale of a few centimeters with the AMF-plant habitats positioned adjacent to each other. In the second experiment, overdispersed micro-landscapes promoted functional root colonization. This study provides experimental evidence that the spatial distribution of habitats can determine AMF abundance at the microscale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonie Grünfeld
- Institut Für Biologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Georgios Skias
- Institut Für Biologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Matthias C Rillig
- Institut Für Biologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stavros D Veresoglou
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Ecology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China.
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Guy P, Sibly R, Smart SM, Tibbett M, Pickles BJ. Mycorrhizal type of woody plants influences understory species richness in British broadleaved woodlands. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2022; 235:2046-2053. [PMID: 35622460 PMCID: PMC9543792 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Mature temperate woodlands are commonly dominated by ectomycorrhizal trees, whereas understory plants predominantly form arbuscular mycorrhizal associations. Due to differences in plant-fungus compatibility between canopy and ground layer vegetation the 'mycorrhizal mediation hypothesis' predicts that herbaceous plant establishment may be limited by a lack of suitable mycorrhizal fungal inoculum. We examined plant species data for 103 woodlands across Great Britain recorded in 1971 and in 2000 to test whether herbaceous plant species richness was related to the proportion of arbuscular mycorrhizal woody plants. We compared the effect of mycorrhizal type with other important drivers of woodland plant species richness. We found a positive effect of the relative abundance of arbuscular mycorrhizal woody plants on herbaceous plant species richness. The size of the observed effect was smaller than that of pH. Moreover, the effect persisted over time, despite many woodlands undergoing marked successional change and increased understorey shading. This work supports the mycorrhizal mediation hypothesis in British woodlands and suggests that increased abundance of arbuscular mycorrhizal woody plants is associated with greater understory plant species richness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Guy
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of Reading, Health and Life Sciences BuildingWhiteknightsReadingRG6 6EXUK
- School of Agriculture, Policy, and DevelopmentUniversity of ReadingWhiteknightsReadingRG6 6BZUK
| | - Richard Sibly
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of Reading, Health and Life Sciences BuildingWhiteknightsReadingRG6 6EXUK
| | - Simon M. Smart
- UK Centre for Ecology & HydrologyLibrary Avenue, BailriggLancasterLA1 4APUK
| | - Mark Tibbett
- School of Agriculture, Policy, and DevelopmentUniversity of ReadingWhiteknightsReadingRG6 6BZUK
| | - Brian J. Pickles
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of Reading, Health and Life Sciences BuildingWhiteknightsReadingRG6 6EXUK
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Weerasuriya NM, Kukolj K, Spencer R, Sveshnikov D, Thorn RG. Multiple Fungi May Connect the Roots of an Orchid ( Cypripedium reginae) and Ash ( Fraxinus nigra) in Western Newfoundland. FRONTIERS IN FUNGAL BIOLOGY 2022; 3:805127. [PMID: 37746191 PMCID: PMC10512338 DOI: 10.3389/ffunb.2022.805127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Showy lady's slipper (Cypripedium reginae Walter, Orchidaceae) and black ash (Fraxinus nigra Marshall, Oleaceae) often co-occur in close proximity in fens in western Newfoundland, Canada. Metabarcoding of DNA extracted from root samples of both species following surface sterilization, and others without surface sterilization was used to determine if there were shared fungal endophytes in the roots of both species that could form a common mycorrhizal network between them. A wide variety of fungi were recovered from primers amplifying the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer region (ITS2). Sixty-six fungal sequences were shared by surface-sterilized roots of both orchid and ash, among them arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (Claroideoglomus, Dominikia, Glomus and Rhizophagus), ectomycorrhizal fungi (Inocybe and Tomentella), the broad-host root endophyte Cadophora orchidicola, along with root pathogens (Dactylonectria, Ilyonectria, Pyricularia, and Xylomyces) and fungi of unknown function. There appear to be multiple fungi that could form a common mycorrhizal network between C. reginae and F. nigra, which might explain their frequent co-occurrence. Transfer of nutrients or carbon between the orchid and ash via one or more of the shared fungal endophytes remains to be demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Katarina Kukolj
- Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Rebecca Spencer
- Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Dmitry Sveshnikov
- School of Science and the Environment, Grenfell Campus, Memorial University, Corner Brook, NL, Canada
| | - R. Greg Thorn
- Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
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6
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Zhong F, Fan X, Ji W, Hai Z, Hu N, Li X, Liu G, Yu C, Chen Y, Lian B, Wei H, Zhang J. Soil Fungal Community Composition and Diversity of Culturable Endophytic Fungi from Plant Roots in the Reclaimed Area of the Eastern Coast of China. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8020124. [PMID: 35205878 PMCID: PMC8878519 DOI: 10.3390/jof8020124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
As an important resource for screening microbial strains capable of conferring stress tolerance in plants, the fungal community associated with the plants grown in stressful environments has received great attention. In this study, high-throughput sequencing was employed to study the rhizosphere fungal community in the reclaimed area (i.e., sites F, H, and T) of the eastern coast of China. Moreover, endophytic fungi from the root of six plant species colonizing the investigated sites were isolated and identified. The differences in soil physicochemical parameters, fungal diversity, and community structure were detected among the sampling sites and between the seasons. Ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi (e.g., genera Tuber and Geopora) were dominant at site F, which was characterized by high soil total carbon (SC) and total nitrogen (SN) contents and low soil electrical conductivity (EC) value. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, including genera Glomus, Rhizophagus, and Entrophospora were dominant at sites H (winter), H (summer), and T (summer), respectively. The positive relationship between the EC value and the abundance of genus Glomus indicated the ability of this AM fungus to protect plants against the salt stress. Endophytic fungi at sites F (Aspergillus and Tetracladium), H (Nigrospora), and T (Nigrospora, Coniochaeta and Zopfiella) were recognized as the biomarkers or keystone taxa, among which only genus Aspergillus was isolated from the plant roots. The aforementioned AM fungi and endophytic fungi could contribute to the promotion of plant growth in the newly reclaimed land.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Zhong
- School of Life Science, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China; (W.J.); (Z.H.); (N.H.); (X.L.); (G.L.); (C.Y.); (Y.C.); (B.L.); (H.W.)
- Key Lab of Landscape Plant Genetics and Breeding, Nantong 226019, China
- Correspondence: (F.Z.); (J.Z.)
| | - Xinlei Fan
- The Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of the Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China;
| | - Wenhui Ji
- School of Life Science, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China; (W.J.); (Z.H.); (N.H.); (X.L.); (G.L.); (C.Y.); (Y.C.); (B.L.); (H.W.)
| | - Zhixing Hai
- School of Life Science, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China; (W.J.); (Z.H.); (N.H.); (X.L.); (G.L.); (C.Y.); (Y.C.); (B.L.); (H.W.)
| | - Naican Hu
- School of Life Science, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China; (W.J.); (Z.H.); (N.H.); (X.L.); (G.L.); (C.Y.); (Y.C.); (B.L.); (H.W.)
| | - Xintong Li
- School of Life Science, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China; (W.J.); (Z.H.); (N.H.); (X.L.); (G.L.); (C.Y.); (Y.C.); (B.L.); (H.W.)
| | - Guoyuan Liu
- School of Life Science, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China; (W.J.); (Z.H.); (N.H.); (X.L.); (G.L.); (C.Y.); (Y.C.); (B.L.); (H.W.)
- Key Lab of Landscape Plant Genetics and Breeding, Nantong 226019, China
| | - Chunmei Yu
- School of Life Science, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China; (W.J.); (Z.H.); (N.H.); (X.L.); (G.L.); (C.Y.); (Y.C.); (B.L.); (H.W.)
- Key Lab of Landscape Plant Genetics and Breeding, Nantong 226019, China
| | - Yanhong Chen
- School of Life Science, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China; (W.J.); (Z.H.); (N.H.); (X.L.); (G.L.); (C.Y.); (Y.C.); (B.L.); (H.W.)
- Key Lab of Landscape Plant Genetics and Breeding, Nantong 226019, China
| | - Bolin Lian
- School of Life Science, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China; (W.J.); (Z.H.); (N.H.); (X.L.); (G.L.); (C.Y.); (Y.C.); (B.L.); (H.W.)
- Key Lab of Landscape Plant Genetics and Breeding, Nantong 226019, China
| | - Hui Wei
- School of Life Science, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China; (W.J.); (Z.H.); (N.H.); (X.L.); (G.L.); (C.Y.); (Y.C.); (B.L.); (H.W.)
- Key Lab of Landscape Plant Genetics and Breeding, Nantong 226019, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- School of Life Science, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China; (W.J.); (Z.H.); (N.H.); (X.L.); (G.L.); (C.Y.); (Y.C.); (B.L.); (H.W.)
- Key Lab of Landscape Plant Genetics and Breeding, Nantong 226019, China
- Correspondence: (F.Z.); (J.Z.)
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7
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Rożek K, Rola K, Zubek S. Slight dependence of temperate-forest herbaceous plants, Geum urbanum and Senecio ovatus, on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) enables them to colonise soils with a low level of AMF abundance. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0258862. [PMID: 34699539 PMCID: PMC8547634 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
While numerous studies have revealed that arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) enhance plant performance, the influence of these symbionts on temperate-forest herbaceous species in relation to soil physical and chemical properties has been left largely unexplored. Therefore, two perennial herbs, Geum urbanum (Rosaceae) and Senecio ovatus (Asteraceae), were examined in a laboratory pot experiment to determine whether AMF influenced their growth, photosynthetic performance index, and N and P contents in biomass. The treatments, involving three widespread AMF species, were prepared in the soils of two habitats colonised by both plants, namely beech and riparian forests, as follows: (1) control—soils without AMF, (2) Claroideoglomus claroideum, (3) Funneliformis geosporus, and (4) Funneliformis mosseae. Neither shoot mass nor photosynthetic performance index of G. urbanum and S. ovatus was enhanced by AMF. Senecio ovatus root mass was increased compared to control only by F. geosporus. Inconsistent effects were observed in N and P contents in shoots and roots of both species. The direction and magnitude of these responses were dependent on the fungal species and soil type. Although the plant species belong to families whose representatives are usually regularly colonised by and highly responsive to AMF, our study indicates that AMF had only a slight impact on the performance of G. urbanum and S. ovatus at the early stages of their development. The plants being slightly dependent on AMF are thus adapted to colonise temperate-forest soils with a low level of availability of AMF propagules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Rożek
- Institute of Botany, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
- * E-mail:
| | - Kaja Rola
- Institute of Botany, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Szymon Zubek
- Institute of Botany, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
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8
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Grünfeld L, Mola M, Wulf M, Hempel S, Veresoglou SD. Disentangling the relative importance of spatio-temporal parameters and host specificity in shaping arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus communities in a temperate forest. MYCORRHIZA 2021; 31:589-598. [PMID: 34279725 PMCID: PMC8484218 DOI: 10.1007/s00572-021-01041-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Many woody and herbaceous plants in temperate forests cannot establish and survive in the absence of mycorrhizal associations. Most temperate forests are dominated by ectomycorrhizal woody plant species, which implies that the carrying capacity of the habitat for arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) is relatively low and AMF could in some cases experience a limitation of propagules. Here we address how the AMF community composition varied in a small temperate forest site in Germany in relation to time, space, two plant host species, and also with regard to the degree to which plots were covered with AMF-associating woody species. The AMF communities in our study were non-random. We observed that space had a greater impact on fungal community composition than either time, mycorrhizal state of the close-by woody species, or the identity of the host plant. The identity of the host plant was the only parameter that modified AMF richness in the roots. The set of parameters which we addressed has rarely been studied together, and the resulting ranking could ease prioritizing some of them to be included in future surveys. AMF are crucial for the establishment of understory plants in temperate forests, making it desirable to further explore how they vary in time and space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonie Grünfeld
- Institut Für Biologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Magkdi Mola
- Institut Für Biologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Monika Wulf
- Research Area 2, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Eberswalder Straße 84, 15374, Müncheberg, Germany
| | - Stefan Hempel
- Institut Für Biologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stavros D Veresoglou
- Institut Für Biologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany.
- School of Ecology, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
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9
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Marjanović Ž, Nawaz A, Stevanović K, Saljnikov E, Maček I, Oehl F, Wubet T. Root-Associated Mycobiome Differentiate between Habitats Supporting Production of Different Truffle Species in Serbian Riparian Forests. Microorganisms 2020; 8:E1331. [PMID: 32878332 PMCID: PMC7563819 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8091331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Balkan lowlands bordering with the Pannonia region are inhabited by diverse riparian forests that support production of different truffle species, predominantly the most prized white truffle of Piedmont (Tuber magnatum Pico), but also other commercial species (T.macrosporum Vitt., T. aestivum Vitt.). Surprisingly, little is known about the native root-associated mycobiome (RAM) of these lowland truffle-producing forests. Therefore, in this study we aim at exploring and comparing the RAMs of three different truffle-producing forests from Kolubara river plane in Serbia. Molecular methods based on next generation sequencing (NGS) were used to evaluate the diversity of root-associated fungal communities and to elucidate the influence of environmental factors on their differentiation. To our knowledge, this is the first study from such habitats with a particular focus on comparative analysis of the RAM in different truffle-producing habitats using a high-throughput sequencing approach. Our results indicated that the alpha diversity of investigated fungal communities was not significantly different between different truffle-producing forests and within a specific forest type, while the seasonal differences in the alpha diversity were only observed in the white truffle-producing forests. Taxonomic profiling at phylum level indicated the dominance of fungal OTUs belonging to phylum Ascomycota and Basidiomycota, with very minor presence of other phyla. Distinct community structures of root-associated mycobiomes were observed for white, mixed, and black truffle-producing forests. The core mycobiome analysis indicated a fair share of fungal genera present exclusively in white and black truffle-producing forest, while the core genera of mixed truffle-producing forests were shared with both white and black truffle-producing forests. The majority of detected fungal OTUs in all three forest types were symbiotrophs, with ectomycorrhizal fungi being a dominant functional guild. Apart from assumed vegetation factor, differentiation of fungal communities was driven by factors connected to the distance from the river and exposure to fluvial activities, soil age, structure, and pH. Overall, Pannonian riparian forests appear to host diverse root-associated fungal communities that are strongly shaped by variation in soil conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Žaklina Marjanović
- Institute for Multidisciplinary Research, Belgrade University, Kneza Višeslava 1, 11030 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Ali Nawaz
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, Department of Community Ecology, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany;
| | - Katarina Stevanović
- Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Studentski Trg 3, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia;
| | - Elmira Saljnikov
- Soil Science Institute, Teodora Drajzera 7, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia;
| | - Irena Maček
- Department of Agronomy, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia;
- Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies (FAMNIT), University of Primorska, Glagoljaška 8, 6000 Koper, Slovenia
| | - Fritz Oehl
- Agroscope, Competence Division for Plants and Plant Products, Ecotoxicology, Müller-Thurgau-Str. 29, 8820 Wädenswil, Switzerland;
| | - Tesfaye Wubet
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, Department of Community Ecology, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany;
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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10
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Grünfeld L, Wulf M, Rillig MC, Manntschke A, Veresoglou SD. Neighbours of arbuscular-mycorrhiza associating trees are colonized more extensively by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi than their conspecifics in ectomycorrhiza dominated stands. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2020; 227:10-13. [PMID: 31849059 DOI: 10.1111/nph.16377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Accepted: 11/27/2019] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Leonie Grünfeld
- Institut für Biologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstr. 6, Berlin, D-14195, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research, Berlin, D-14195, Germany
| | - Monika Wulf
- Research Area 2, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Eberswalder Straße 84, Müncheberg, D-15374, Germany
| | - Matthias C Rillig
- Institut für Biologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstr. 6, Berlin, D-14195, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research, Berlin, D-14195, Germany
| | - Annette Manntschke
- Institut für Biologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstr. 6, Berlin, D-14195, Germany
| | - Stavros D Veresoglou
- Institut für Biologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstr. 6, Berlin, D-14195, Germany
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11
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Maes SL, Perring MP, Depauw L, Bernhardt-Römermann M, Blondeel H, Brūmelis G, Brunet J, Decocq G, den Ouden J, Govaert S, Härdtle W, Hédl R, Heinken T, Heinrichs S, Hertzog L, Jaroszewicz B, Kirby K, Kopecký M, Landuyt D, Máliš F, Vanneste T, Wulf M, Verheyen K. Plant functional trait response to environmental drivers across European temperate forest understorey communities. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2020; 22:410-424. [PMID: 31840363 DOI: 10.1111/plb.13082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Functional traits respond to environmental drivers, hence evaluating trait-environment relationships across spatial environmental gradients can help to understand how multiple drivers influence plant communities. Global-change drivers such as changes in atmospheric nitrogen deposition occur worldwide, but affect community trait distributions at the local scale, where resources (e.g. light availability) and conditions (e.g. soil pH) also influence plant communities. We investigate how multiple environmental drivers affect community trait responses related to resource acquisition (plant height, specific leaf area (SLA), woodiness, and mycorrhizal status) and regeneration (seed mass, lateral spread) of European temperate deciduous forest understoreys. We sampled understorey communities and derived trait responses across spatial gradients of global-change drivers (temperature, precipitation, nitrogen deposition, and past land use), while integrating in-situ plot measurements on resources and conditions (soil type, Olsen phosphorus (P), Ellenberg soil moisture, light, litter mass, and litter quality). Among the global-change drivers, mean annual temperature strongly influenced traits related to resource acquisition. Higher temperatures were associated with taller understoreys producing leaves with lower SLA, and a higher proportional cover of woody and obligate mycorrhizal (OM) species. Communities in plots with higher Ellenberg soil moisture content had smaller seeds and lower proportional cover of woody and OM species. Finally, plots with thicker litter layers hosted taller understoreys with larger seeds and a higher proportional cover of OM species. Our findings suggest potential community shifts in temperate forest understoreys with global warming, and highlight the importance of local resources and conditions as well as global-change drivers for community trait variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- S L Maes
- Forest & Nature Lab, Department of Environment, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
| | - M P Perring
- Forest & Nature Lab, Department of Environment, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - L Depauw
- Forest & Nature Lab, Department of Environment, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
| | - M Bernhardt-Römermann
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - H Blondeel
- Forest & Nature Lab, Department of Environment, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
| | - G Brūmelis
- Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia
| | - J Brunet
- Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden
| | - G Decocq
- Ecologie et Dynamique des Systèmes Anthropisés (EDYSAN, UMR 7058 CNRS), Jules Verne University of Picardie, Amiens, France
| | - J den Ouden
- Forest Ecology and Forest Management Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - S Govaert
- Forest & Nature Lab, Department of Environment, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
| | - W Härdtle
- Institute of Ecology, Leuphana University of Lüneburg, Lüneburg, Germany
| | - R Hédl
- Institute of Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Průhonice, Czech Republic
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Palacký University in Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - T Heinken
- General Botany, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - S Heinrichs
- Silviculture and Forest Ecology of the Temperate Zones, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - L Hertzog
- Forest & Nature Lab, Department of Environment, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
| | - B Jaroszewicz
- Białowieża Geobotanical Station, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Białowieża, Poland
| | - K Kirby
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - M Kopecký
- Institute of Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Průhonice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - D Landuyt
- Forest & Nature Lab, Department of Environment, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
| | - F Máliš
- Faculty of Forestry, Technical University, Zvolen, Slovakia
- National Forest Centre, Zvolen, Slovakia
| | - T Vanneste
- Forest & Nature Lab, Department of Environment, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
| | - M Wulf
- Leibniz-ZALF e.V. Müncheberg, Müncheberg, Germany
| | - K Verheyen
- Forest & Nature Lab, Department of Environment, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
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12
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Estimation of Fungal Diversity and Identification of Major Abiotic Drivers Influencing Fungal Richness and Communities in Northern Temperate and Boreal Quebec Forests. FORESTS 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/f10121096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Fungi play important roles in forest ecosystems and understanding fungal diversity is crucial to address essential questions about species conservation and ecosystems management. Changes in fungal diversity can have severe impacts on ecosystem functionality. Unfortunately, little is known about fungal diversity in northern temperate and boreal forests, and we have yet to understand how abiotic variables shape fungal richness and composition. Our objectives were to make an overview of the fungal richness and the community composition in the region and identify their major abiotic drivers. We sampled 262 stands across the northern temperate and boreal Quebec forest located in the region of Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Mauricie, and Haute-Mauricie. At each site, we characterized fungal composition using Illumina sequencing, as well as several potential abiotic drivers (e.g., humus thickness, soil pH, vegetation cover, etc.). We tested effects of abiotic drivers on species richness using generalized linear models, while difference in fungal composition between stands was analyzed with permutational multivariate analysis of variance and beta-diversity partitioning analyses. Fungi from the order Agaricales, Helotiales, and Russulales were the most frequent and sites from the north of Abitibi-Témiscamingue showed the highest OTUs (Operational Taxonomic Unit) richness. Stand age and moss cover were the best predictors of fungal richness. On the other hand, the strongest drivers of fungal community structure were soil pH, average cumulative precipitation, and stand age, although much of community variance was left unexplained in our models. Overall, our regional metacommunity was characterized by high turnover rate, even when rare OTUs were removed. This may indicate strong environmental filtering by several unmeasured abiotic filters, or stronger than expected dispersal limitations in soil fungal communities. Our results show how difficult it can be to predict fungal community assembly even with high replication and efforts to include several biologically relevant explanatory variables.
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13
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Begley-Miller DR, Diefenbach DR, McDill ME, Drohan PJ, Rosenberry CS, Just Domoto EH. Soil chemistry, and not short-term (1-2 year) deer exclusion, explains understory plant occupancy in forests affected by acid deposition. AOB PLANTS 2019; 11:plz044. [PMID: 31649810 PMCID: PMC6799995 DOI: 10.1093/aobpla/plz044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The loss of species diversity and plant community structure throughout the temperate deciduous forests of North America have often been attributed to overbrowsing by white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginanus). Slow species recovery following removal from browsing, or reduction in deer density, has been termed a legacy effect of past deer herbivory. However, vegetation legacy effects have also coincided with changes to soil chemistry throughout the north-eastern USA. In this paper, we assess the viability of soil chemistry (i.e. pH, extractable nutrients and extractable metals) and other factors (topography, light, overstory basal area and location) as alternative explanations for a lack of vegetation recovery. We compared the relative effects of soil chemistry, site conditions and short-term (1-2 year) deer exclusion on single-species occupancy probabilities of 10 plant taxa common to oak-hickory forests in central Pennsylvania. We found detection for all modelled species was constant and high (p ^ > 0.65), and occupancy probability of most taxa was best explained by at least one soil chemistry parameter. Specifically, ericaceous competing vegetation was more likely to occupy acidic (pH < 3.5), base cation-poor (K < 0.20 cmolc kg-1) sites, while deer-preferred plants were less likely to occur when soil manganese exceeded 0.1 cmolc kg-1. Short-term deer exclusion did not explain occupancy of any plant taxon, and site conditions were of nominal importance. This study demonstrates the importance of soil chemistry in shaping plant community composition in the north-central Appalachians, and suggests soil as an alternative, or additional, explanation for deer vegetation legacy effects. We suggest that the reliance on phyto-indicators of deer browsing effects may overestimate the effects of browsing if those species are also limited by unfavourable soil conditions. Future research should consider study designs that address the complexity of deer forest interactions, especially in areas with complex site-vegetation histories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle R Begley-Miller
- Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Duane R Diefenbach
- U.S. Geological Survey, Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Marc E McDill
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Patrick J Drohan
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | | | - Emily H Just Domoto
- Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Forestry, Harrisburg, PA, USA
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14
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Veresoglou SD, Chen B, Fischer MM, Helgason T, Mamolos AP, Rillig MC, Roldán A, Johnson D. Latitudinal constraints in responsiveness of plants to arbuscular mycorrhiza: the 'sun-worshipper' hypothesis. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2019; 224:552-556. [PMID: 31087653 DOI: 10.1111/nph.15918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2019] [Accepted: 05/03/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Stavros D Veresoglou
- Plant Ecology, Institut für Biologie, Freie Universität Berlin, D-14195, Berlin, Germany
- Laboratory of Ecology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Baodong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100091, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, PO Box 2871, Beijing, China
| | - Matthias M Fischer
- Plant Ecology, Institut für Biologie, Freie Universität Berlin, D-14195, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Andreas P Mamolos
- Laboratory of Ecology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Matthias C Rillig
- Plant Ecology, Institut für Biologie, Freie Universität Berlin, D-14195, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), D-14195,, Berlin, Germany
| | - Antonio Roldán
- Department of Soil and Water Conservation, CSIC-Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura, PO Box 164, Campus de Espinardo, 30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - David Johnson
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK
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15
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Sommermann L, Geistlinger J, Wibberg D, Deubel A, Zwanzig J, Babin D, Schlüter A, Schellenberg I. Fungal community profiles in agricultural soils of a long-term field trial under different tillage, fertilization and crop rotation conditions analyzed by high-throughput ITS-amplicon sequencing. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0195345. [PMID: 29621291 PMCID: PMC5886558 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0195345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2017] [Accepted: 03/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Fungal communities in agricultural soils are assumed to be affected by soil and crop management. Our intention was to investigate the impact of different tillage and fertilization practices on fungal communities in a long-term crop rotation field trial established in 1992 in Central Germany. Two winter wheat fields in replicated strip-tillage design, comprising conventional vs. conservation tillage, intensive vs. extensive fertilization and different pre-crops (maize vs. rapeseed) were analyzed by a metabarcoding approach applying Illumina paired-end sequencing of amplicons generated by two recently developed primer pairs targeting the two fungal Internal Transcribed Spacer regions (ITS1, ITS2). Analysis of 5.1 million high-quality sequence reads uncovered a diverse fungal community in the two fields, composed of 296 fungal genera including 3,398 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) at the 97% sequence similarity threshold. Both primer pairs detected the same fungal phyla (Basidio-, Asco-, Zygo-, Glomero- and Chytridiomycota), but in different relative abundances. OTU richness was higher in the ITS1 dataset, while ITS2 data were more diverse and of higher evenness. Effects of farming practice on fungal community structures were revealed. Almost two-thirds of the fungal genera were represented in all different soil treatments, whereas the remaining genera clearly responded to farming practice. Principal Component Analysis revealed four distinct clusters according to tillage practice and pre-crop. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) substantiated the results and proved significant influences of tillage and pre-crop, while fertilization had the smallest and non-significant effect. In-depth analysis of putative phytopathogenic and plant beneficial fungal groups indicated distinct responses; for example Fusarium was significantly enriched in the intensively fertilized conservation tillage variants with the pre-crop maize, while Phoma displayed significant association with conventional tillage and pre-crop rapeseed. Many putative plant beneficial fungi also reacted differentially to farming practice with the most distinct responders identified among the Glomeromycota (arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, AMF).
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Affiliation(s)
- Loreen Sommermann
- Institute of Bioanalytical Sciences (IBAS), Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, Bernburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Joerg Geistlinger
- Institute of Bioanalytical Sciences (IBAS), Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, Bernburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany
| | - Daniel Wibberg
- Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Genome Research of Industrial Microorganisms (GRIM), Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
| | - Annette Deubel
- Department of Agriculture, Ecotrophology and Landscape Development, Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, Bernburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany
| | - Jessica Zwanzig
- Institute of Bioanalytical Sciences (IBAS), Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, Bernburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany
| | - Doreen Babin
- Institute for Epidemiology and Pathogen Diagnostics, Julius-Kühn-Institut–Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants (JKI), Braunschweig, Lower Saxony, Germany
| | - Andreas Schlüter
- Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Genome Research of Industrial Microorganisms (GRIM), Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
| | - Ingo Schellenberg
- Institute of Bioanalytical Sciences (IBAS), Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, Bernburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany
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16
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Veresoglou SD, Wulf M, Rillig MC. Facilitation between woody and herbaceous plants that associate with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in temperate European forests. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:1181-1189. [PMID: 28303188 PMCID: PMC5306016 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2016] [Revised: 12/20/2016] [Accepted: 12/29/2016] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
In late-successional environments, low in available nutrient such as the forest understory, herbaceous plant individuals depend strongly on their mycorrhizal associates for survival. We tested whether in temperate European forests arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) woody plants might facilitate the establishment of AM herbaceous plants in agreement with the mycorrhizal mediation hypothesis. We used a dataset spanning over 400 vegetation plots in the Weser-Elbe region (northwest Germany). Mycorrhizal status information was obtained from published resources, and Ellenberg indicator values were used to infer environmental data. We carried out tests for both relative richness and relative abundance of herbaceous plants. We found that the subset of herbaceous individuals that associated with AM profited when there was a high cover of AM woody plants. These relationships were retained when we accounted for environmental filtering effects using path analysis. Our findings build on the existing literature highlighting the prominent role of mycorrhiza as a coexistence mechanism in plant communities. From a nature conservation point of view, it may be possible to promote functional diversity in the forest understory through introducing AM woody trees in stands when absent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stavros D. Veresoglou
- Institut für BiologieFreie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
- Berlin‐Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity ResearchBerlinGermany
| | - Monika Wulf
- Institute of Land Use SystemsLeibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF)MünchebergGermany
| | - Matthias C. Rillig
- Institut für BiologieFreie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
- Berlin‐Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity ResearchBerlinGermany
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