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Zhang M, Shi Z, Wang F. Co-occurring tree species drive arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi diversity in tropical forest. Int Microbiol 2024; 27:917-928. [PMID: 37923942 DOI: 10.1007/s10123-023-00443-0] [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: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023]
Abstract
It is still uncertain whether environment or host plant species is more important in determining AMF diversity; although, plant roots are usually associated with abundant AMF species in different environments. This study explored the effect of plant species and environmental factors on AMF diversity based on three co-occurring tree species (Glochidion coccineum, Schefflera octophylla, and Schima superba) on six elevations of Mt. Jianfengling. A total of 185 OTUs (operational taxonomic units) of AMF were found in the three co-occurring dominant tree species. Of which 109 unique OTUs were identified in the three co-occurring plant species, which accounted for the total number of 58.92%. Forty-five OTUs were shared by the three co-occurring tree species, accounting for a total number of 24.32%. The plant species of Schefflera octophylla was identified as having the highest AMF diversity with the largest number of OTUs of 143. The fungi in the genus of Glomus were the dominant AMF species in the three co-occurring tree species. AMF communities and diversity are quite different, either within different plant species at the same elevation or within the same plant species at different elevations. However, the altitude had no significant effect on the ACE index. Therefore, the results suggest that plant species have a more important effect on AMF diversity and community composition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengge Zhang
- College of Agriculture, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
- Luoyang Key Laboratory of Symbiotic Microorganism and Green Development, Luoyang, China
| | - Zhaoyong Shi
- College of Agriculture, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China.
- Luoyang Key Laboratory of Symbiotic Microorganism and Green Development, Luoyang, China.
| | - Fayuan Wang
- College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
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Li J, Liu Y, Cui X, Liu R, Du Z, Chai H, He Y, Chen H, Wu H, Zhou X. Mycorrhizal mediation of soil carbon in permafrost regions depends on soil nutrient stoichiometry and physical protection. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 920:170907. [PMID: 38350579 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
Mycorrhizal associations are considered as one of the key drivers for soil carbon (C) accumulation and stability. However, how mycorrhizal associations influence soil organic C (SOC) and its fractions (i.e., particulate organic C [POC] and mineral-associated organic C [MAOC]) remain unclear. In this study, we examined effects of plant mycorrhizal associations with arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM), ectomycorrhiza (ECM), and their mixture (Mixed) on SOC and its fractions as well as soil stoichiometric ratios across 800-km transect in permafrost regions. Our results showed that soil with only ECM-associated trees had significantly higher SOC and POC compared to only AM-associated tree species, while soil in Mixed plots with both AM- and ECM- associated trees tend to be somewhat in the middle. Using structural equation models, we found that mycorrhizal association significantly influenced SOC and its fraction (i.e., POC, MAOC) indirectly through soil stoichiometric ratios (C:N, C:P, and N:P). These results suggest that selecting ECM tree species, characterized by a "slow cycling" nutrient uptake strategy, can effectively enhance accumulation of SOC and its fractions in permafrost forest ecosystems. Our findings provide novel insights for quantitatively assessing the influence of mycorrhiza-associated tree species on the management of soil C pool and biogeochemical cycling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Li
- Northeast Asia ecosystem Carbon sink research Center (NACC), Center for Ecological Research, Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Yuan Liu
- Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824, USA
| | - Xiaoyang Cui
- Northeast Asia ecosystem Carbon sink research Center (NACC), Center for Ecological Research, Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Ruiqiang Liu
- Northeast Asia ecosystem Carbon sink research Center (NACC), Center for Ecological Research, Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Zhenggang Du
- Northeast Asia ecosystem Carbon sink research Center (NACC), Center for Ecological Research, Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Hua Chai
- Northeast Asia ecosystem Carbon sink research Center (NACC), Center for Ecological Research, Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Yanghui He
- Northeast Asia ecosystem Carbon sink research Center (NACC), Center for Ecological Research, Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Hongyang Chen
- Northeast Asia ecosystem Carbon sink research Center (NACC), Center for Ecological Research, Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Han Wu
- Northeast Asia ecosystem Carbon sink research Center (NACC), Center for Ecological Research, Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Xuhui Zhou
- Northeast Asia ecosystem Carbon sink research Center (NACC), Center for Ecological Research, Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China.
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Wang L, Huang D. Soil microbial community composition in a paddy field with different fertilization managements. Can J Microbiol 2021; 67:864-874. [PMID: 34643413 DOI: 10.1139/cjm-2020-0590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Microbes play vital roles in soil quality; however, their response to N (nitrogen) and P (phosphorus) fertilization in acidic paddy soils of subtropical China remains poorly understood. Here, a 10-year field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of different fertilization treatments on microbial communities by Illumina MiSeq sequencing. The results showed that different fertilization treatments did not exert a significant effect on microbial alpha diversity, but altered soil properties, and thus affected microbial community composition. The microbial communities in the T1 (optimized N and P fertilizer) and T2 (excessive N fertilizer) treated soils differed from those in the T0 (no N and P fertilizer) and T3 (excessive P fertilizer) treated soils. In addition, the bacterial phyla Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, and Acidobacteria, and the fungal phyla Ascomycota and Basidiomycota dominated all the fertilized treatments. Soil total potassium (TK) concentration was the most important factor driving the variation in bacterial community structure under different fertilization regimes, while the major factors shaping fungal community structure were soil TN and NO3--N (nitrate N). These findings indicate that optimization of N and P application rates might result in variations in soil properties, which changed the microbial community structure in the present study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Limin Wang
- Soil and Fertilizer Institute, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fuzhou 350013, P.R. China.,Fujian Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Quality & Safety, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fuzhou 350000, P.R. China
| | - Dongfeng Huang
- Soil and Fertilizer Institute, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fuzhou 350013, P.R. China.,Fujian Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Quality & Safety, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fuzhou 350000, P.R. China
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Pierre S, Litton CM, Giardina CP, Sparks JP, Fahey TJ. Mean annual temperature influences local fine root proliferation and arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization in a tropical wet forest. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:9635-9646. [PMID: 33005336 PMCID: PMC7520179 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2019] [Revised: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Mean annual temperature (MAT) is an influential climate factor affecting the bioavailability of growth-limiting nutrients nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). In tropical montane wet forests, warmer MAT drives higher N bioavailability, while patterns of P availability are inconsistent across MAT. Two important nutrient acquisition strategies, fine root proliferation into bulk soil and root association with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, are dependent on C availability to the plant via primary production. The case study presented here tests whether variation in bulk soil N bioavailability across a tropical montane wet forest elevation gradient (5.2°C MAT range) influences (a) morphology fine root proliferation into soil patches with elevated N, P, and N+P relative to background soil and (b) arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) colonization of fine roots in patches. We created a fully factorial fertilized root ingrowth core design (N, P, N+P, unfertilized control) representing soil patches with elevated N and P bioavailability relative to background bulk soil. Our results show that percent AMF colonization of roots increased with MAT (r 2 = .19, p = .004), but did not respond to fertilization treatments. Fine root length (FRL), a proxy for root foraging, increased with MAT in N+P-fertilized patches only (p = .02), while other fine root morphological parameters did not respond to the gradient or fertilized patches. We conclude that in N-rich, fine root elongation into areas with elevated N and P declines while AMF abundance increases with MAT. These results indicate a tradeoff between P acquisition strategies occurring with changing N bioavailability, which may be influenced by higher C availability with warmer MAT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne Pierre
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Cornell University Ithaca New York USA
- Department of Integrative Biology University of California, Berkeley Berkeley California USA
| | - Creighton M Litton
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management University of Hawai'i at Manoa Honolulu Hawai'i USA
| | - Christian P Giardina
- Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry Pacific Southwest Research Station US Forest Service Hilo Hawaii USA
| | - Jed P Sparks
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Cornell University Ithaca New York USA
| | - Timothy J Fahey
- Department of Natural Resources Cornell University Ithaca New York USA
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Gomes SIF, van Bodegom PM, Merckx VSFT, Soudzilovskaia N. Environmental drivers for cheaters of arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis in tropical rainforests. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2019; 223:1575-1583. [PMID: 31038750 PMCID: PMC6771734 DOI: 10.1111/nph.15876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Hundreds of nonphotosynthetic mycoheterotrophic plant species cheat the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis. Their patchy local occurrence suggests constraints by biotic and abiotic factors, among which the role of soil chemistry and nutrient status has not been investigated. Here, we examine the edaphic drivers predicting the local-scale distribution of mycoheterotrophic plants in two lowland rainforests in South America. We compared soil chemistry and nutrient status in plots where mycoheterotrophic plants were present with those without these plants. Soil pH, soil nitrate, and the interaction between soil potassium and nitrate concentrations were the best predictors for the occurrence of mycoheterotrophic plants in these tropical rainforests. Mycoheterotrophic plant occurrences decreased with a rise in each of these predictors. This indicates that these plants are associated with low-fertility patches. Such low-fertility conditions coincide with conditions that potentially favour a weak mutualism between plants and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi according to the trade balance model. Our study points out which soil properties favour the cheating of arbuscular mycorrhizal networks in tropical forests. The patchy occurrence of mycoheterotrophic plants suggests that local soil heterogeneity causes the stability of arbuscular mycorrhizal networks to vary at a very small scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia I. F. Gomes
- Institute of Environmental SciencesLeiden University2333 CCLeidenthe Netherlands
- Understanding Evolution GroupNaturalis Biodiversity Center2332 AALeidenthe Netherlands
| | - Peter M. van Bodegom
- Institute of Environmental SciencesLeiden University2333 CCLeidenthe Netherlands
| | - Vincent S. F. T. Merckx
- Understanding Evolution GroupNaturalis Biodiversity Center2332 AALeidenthe Netherlands
- Department of Evolutionary and Population BiologyInstitute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem DynamicsUniversity of AmsterdamAmsterdamthe Netherlands
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Cui Y, Fang L, Guo X, Han F, Ju W, Ye L, Wang X, Tan W, Zhang X. Natural grassland as the optimal pattern of vegetation restoration in arid and semi-arid regions: Evidence from nutrient limitation of soil microbes. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 648:388-397. [PMID: 30121038 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.08.173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2018] [Revised: 08/06/2018] [Accepted: 08/13/2018] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Soil microbial metabolism is vital for nutrient cycling and aboveground ecosystem stability. A general understanding of microbial metabolism and nutrient limitation under human disturbance in arid and semi-arid regions, which are the largest and most fragile oligotrophic ecosystems globally, however, is still limited. We quantified and compared the characteristics of nutrient limitation of soil microbes under natural/artificial grassland and shrubland, an ecological forest, an economic forest, and sloped cropland in typical arid and semi-arid ecosystems on the Loess Plateau, China. Vegetation restoration significantly affected the activities of extracellular enzymes and ecoenzymatic stoichiometry mainly by affecting soil nutrients and nutrient stoichiometry. A vector analysis of enzyme activity indicated that microbial communities were co-limited by carbon (C) and phosphorus (P) in all types of vegetation restoration. Linear regression indicated that microbial C and P limitations were significantly correlated with the stoichiometry of soil nutrient, suggesting that the balance of nutrient stoichiometry is an important factor maintaining microbial metabolism and elemental homeostasis. C and P limitations in the microbial communities were the lowest in the natural grassland. This implies that both vegetation and microbial communities under the restoration pattern of natural grassland were more stable under environmental stress, so the restoration of natural grassland should be recommended as the preferred option for ecosystem restoration in these arid and semi-arid regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongxing Cui
- State Key Laboratory of soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, PR China
| | - Linchuan Fang
- State Key Laboratory of soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, PR China.
| | - Xiaobin Guo
- Agriculture Production and Research Division, Department of Fisheries and Land Resources, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Corner Brook, NL A2H 6J8, Canada
| | - Fu Han
- State Key Laboratory of soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, PR China
| | - Wenliang Ju
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, PR China
| | - Luping Ye
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, PR China
| | - Xia Wang
- State Key Laboratory of soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, PR China
| | - Wenfeng Tan
- State Key Laboratory of soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, PR China
| | - Xingchang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, PR China
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Revillini D, Wilson GWT, Miller RM, Lancione R, Johnson NC. Plant Diversity and Fertilizer Management Shape the Belowground Microbiome of Native Grass Bioenergy Feedstocks. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2019; 10:1018. [PMID: 31475019 PMCID: PMC6702339 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.01018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Plants may actively cultivate microorganisms in their roots and rhizosphere that enhance their nutrition. To develop cropping strategies that substitute mineral fertilizers for beneficial root symbioses, we must first understand how microbial communities associated with plant roots differ among plant taxa and how they respond to fertilization. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and rhizobacteria are of particular interest because they enhance nutrient availability to plants and perform a suite of nutrient cycling functions. The purpose of this experiment is to examine the root and soil microbiome in a long-term switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) biofuel feedstock experiment and determine how AM fungi and rhizobacteria respond to plant diversity and soil fertility. We hypothesize that intra- and interspecific plant diversity, nitrogen fertilization (+N), and their interaction will influence the biomass and community composition of AM fungi and rhizobacteria. We further hypothesize that +N will reduce the abundance of nitrogenase-encoding nifH genes on the rhizoplane. Roots and soils were sampled from three switchgrass cultivars (Cave-in-Rock, Kanlow, Southlow) grown in monoculture, intraspecific mixture, and interspecific planting mixtures with either Andropogon gerardii or diverse native tallgrass prairie species. Molecular sequencing was performed on root and soil samples, fatty acid extractions were assessed to determine microbial biomass, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was performed on nifH genes from the rhizoplane. Sequence data determined core AM fungal and bacterial microbiomes and indicator taxa for plant diversity and +N treatments. We found that plant diversity and +N influenced AM fungal biomass and community structure. Across all plant diversity treatments, +N reduced the biomass of AM fungi and nifH gene abundance by more than 40%. The AM fungal genus Scutellospora was an indicator for +N, with relative abundance significantly greater under +N and in monoculture treatments. Community composition of rhizobacteria was influenced by plant diversity but not by +N. Verrucomicrobia and Proteobacteria were the dominant bacterial phyla in both roots and soils. Our findings provide evidence that soil fertility and plant diversity structure the root and soil microbiome. Optimization of soil communities for switchgrass production must take into account differences among cultivars and their unique responses to shifts in soil fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Revillini
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, United States
- Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, United States
- *Correspondence: Daniel Revillini,
| | - Gail W. T. Wilson
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology, Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
| | - R. Michael Miller
- Environmental Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL, United States
| | - Ryan Lancione
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, United States
| | - Nancy Collins Johnson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, United States
- School of Earth, Sustainability, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, United States
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Martín-Robles N, Lehmann A, Seco E, Aroca R, Rillig MC, Milla R. Impacts of domestication on the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis of 27 crop species. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2018; 218:322-334. [PMID: 29281758 DOI: 10.1111/nph.14962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2017] [Accepted: 11/12/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis is key to plant nutrition, and hence is potentially key in sustainable agriculture. Fertilization and other agricultural practices reduce soil AM fungi and root colonization. Such conditions might promote the evolution of low mycorrhizal responsive crops. Therefore, we ask if and how evolution under domestication has altered AM symbioses of crops. We measured the effect of domestication on mycorrhizal responsiveness across 27 crop species and their wild progenitors. Additionally, in a subset of 14 crops, we tested if domestication effects differed under contrasting phosphorus (P) availabilities. The response of AM symbiosis to domestication varied with P availability. On average, wild progenitors benefited from the AM symbiosis irrespective of P availability, while domesticated crops only profited under P-limited conditions. Magnitudes and directions of response were diverse among the 27 crops, and were unrelated to phylogenetic affinities or to the coordinated evolution with fine root traits. Our results indicate disruptions in the efficiency of the AM symbiosis linked to domestication. Under high fertilization, domestication could have altered the regulation of resource trafficking between AM fungi and associated plant hosts. Provided that crops are commonly raised under high fertilization, this result has important implications for sustainable agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nieves Martín-Robles
- Departamento de Biología y Geología, Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnología, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, c/Tulipán s/n, Móstoles, 28933, Spain
| | - Anika Lehmann
- Institut für Biologie, Dahlem Center of Plant Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Erica Seco
- Departamento de Biología y Geología, Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnología, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, c/Tulipán s/n, Móstoles, 28933, Spain
| | - Ricardo Aroca
- Departamento de Microbiología del Suelo y Sistemas Simbióticos, Estación experimental del Zaidín, CSIC, C/Profesor Albareda 1, 18008, Granada, Spain
| | - Matthias C Rillig
- Institut für Biologie, Dahlem Center of Plant Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Rubén Milla
- Departamento de Biología y Geología, Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnología, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, c/Tulipán s/n, Móstoles, 28933, Spain
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Klabi R, Bell TH, Hamel C, Iwaasa A, Schellenberg M, Raies A, St-Arnaud M. Plant assemblage composition and soil P concentration differentially affect communities of AM and total fungi in a semi-arid grassland. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2014; 91:1-13. [DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiu015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Koorem K, Gazol A, Öpik M, Moora M, Saks Ü, Uibopuu A, Sõber V, Zobel M. Soil nutrient content influences the abundance of soil microbes but not plant biomass at the small-scale. PLoS One 2014; 9:e91998. [PMID: 24637633 PMCID: PMC3956881 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0091998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2013] [Accepted: 02/15/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Small-scale heterogeneity of abiotic and biotic factors is expected to play a crucial role in species coexistence. It is known that plants are able to concentrate their root biomass into areas with high nutrient content and also acquire nutrients via symbiotic microorganisms such as arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. At the same time, little is known about the small-scale distribution of soil nutrients, microbes and plant biomass occurring in the same area. We examined small-scale temporal and spatial variation as well as covariation of soil nutrients, microbial biomass (using soil fatty acid biomarker content) and above- and belowground biomass of herbaceous plants in a natural herb-rich boreonemoral spruce forest. The abundance of AM fungi and bacteria decreased during the plant growing season while soil nutrient content rather increased. The abundance of all microbes studied also varied in space and was affected by soil nutrient content. In particular, the abundance of AM fungi was negatively related to soil phosphorus and positively influenced by soil nitrogen content. Neither shoot nor root biomass of herbaceous plants showed any significant relationship with variation in soil nutrient content or the abundance of soil microbes. Our study suggests that plants can compensate for low soil phosphorus concentration via interactions with soil microbes, most probably due to a more efficient symbiosis with AM fungi. This compensation results in relatively constant plant biomass despite variation in soil phosphorous content and in the abundance of AM fungi. Hence, it is crucial to consider both soil nutrient content and the abundance of soil microbes when exploring the mechanisms driving vegetation patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kadri Koorem
- Department of Botany, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Antonio Gazol
- Department of Botany, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Maarja Öpik
- Department of Botany, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Mari Moora
- Department of Botany, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Ülle Saks
- Department of Botany, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Annika Uibopuu
- Department of Botany, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Virve Sõber
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Martin Zobel
- Department of Botany, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
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