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Marder M, Geremia Parise A. Extending cognition: a vegetal rejoinder to extensionless thought and to extended cognition. PLANT SIGNALING & BEHAVIOR 2024; 19:2345984. [PMID: 38654490 PMCID: PMC11057674 DOI: 10.1080/15592324.2024.2345984] [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: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
In this paper, we propose a crucial supplement to the framework of plant cognition, namely extending cognition. We argue that plants and other organisms with an open-ended body plan actively extend their cognition when growing tissues or organs. Their cognition expands with their body expansion. After considering the defining features of extending cognition, we present a model where growth, along with aspects of plant physiology (e.g. biochemical exudates), as well as the "negative extension" of growing away from obstacles or stressful environments, are the building blocks for a more refined understanding of plant cognition. We conclude by outlining the general implications of the theory of extending cognition and indicating directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Marder
- Department of Philosophy, University of the Basque Country, UPV-EHU, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
- Philosophy, Ikerbasque: Basque Foundation for Science, Vitoria, Spain
| | - André Geremia Parise
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, UK
- School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading, UK
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2
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Sakae K, Kawai S, Kitagami Y, Matsuo N, Selosse MA, Tanikawa T, Matsuda Y. Effects of fungicide treatments on mycorrhizal communities and carbon acquisition in the mixotrophic Pyrola japonica (Ericaceae). MYCORRHIZA 2024:10.1007/s00572-024-01157-5. [PMID: 38922410 DOI: 10.1007/s00572-024-01157-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
Pyrola japonica, a member of the family Ericaceae, is a mixotroph that grows on forest floors and obtains carbon (C) from both its photosynthesis and its mycorrhizal fungi. Its mycorrhizal community is dominated by Russulaceae. However, the mechanism of its C acquisition and its flexibility are not well understood. Our aim was to assess the impact of disturbance of the mycorrhizal fungal communities on C acquisition by P. japonica. We repeatedly applied a fungicide (Benomyl) to soils around P. japonica plants in a broad-leaved forest of central Japan, in order to disturb fungal associates near roots. After fungicide treatment, P. japonica roots were collected and subjected to barcoding by next-generation sequencing, focusing on the ITS2 region. The rate of mycorrhizal formation and α-diversity did not significantly change upon fungicide treatments. Irrespective of the treatments, Russulaceae represented more than 80% of the taxa. Leaves and seeds of the plants were analysed for 13C stable isotope ratios that reflect fungal C gain. Leaf and seed δ13C values with the fungicide treatment were significantly lower than those with the other treatments. Thus the fungicide did not affect mycorrhizal communities in the roots, but disturbed mycorrhizal fungal pathways via extraradical hyphae, and resulted in a more photosynthetic behaviour of P. japonica for leaves and seeds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kohtaro Sakae
- Graduate School of Bioresources, Mie University, 1577 Kurimamachiya, Tsu, Mie, 514-8507, Japan
| | - Shosei Kawai
- Graduate School of Bioresources, Mie University, 1577 Kurimamachiya, Tsu, Mie, 514-8507, Japan
| | - Yudai Kitagami
- Graduate School of Bioresources, Mie University, 1577 Kurimamachiya, Tsu, Mie, 514-8507, Japan
| | - Naoko Matsuo
- Graduate School of Bioresources, Mie University, 1577 Kurimamachiya, Tsu, Mie, 514-8507, Japan
| | - Marc-André Selosse
- Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, UA, 57 Rue Cuvier, 75005, Paris, France
- Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Ul. Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308, Gdańsk, Poland
- Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
| | - Toko Tanikawa
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Yosuke Matsuda
- Graduate School of Bioresources, Mie University, 1577 Kurimamachiya, Tsu, Mie, 514-8507, Japan.
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3
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Marx V. How's your health, forests? Nat Methods 2024:10.1038/s41592-024-02337-z. [PMID: 38898095 DOI: 10.1038/s41592-024-02337-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
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Haswell E. Plants in the human gaze The Light Eaters: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth Zoë Schlanger Harper, 2024. 304 pp. Science 2024; 384:745. [PMID: 38753779 DOI: 10.1126/science.adn4954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Must other species be like us to earn our respect?
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Haswell
- The reviewer is a plant biologist based in Portland, OR, USA, and a former deputy editor for plant biology at Science Advances
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5
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Mateos DM, Bhatnagar JM. Restoring ecological complexity in a changing environment. Curr Biol 2024; 34:R365-R371. [PMID: 38714167 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.03.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2024]
Abstract
As land use leaves massive tracts of land vacant for recovery, restoration must undergo a substantial shift to incorporate a complexity perspective beyond the traditional community, biodiversity or functional views. With an interaction-function perspective, we may be able to achieve ecosystems with better chances to adapt to current environmental changes and, especially, to climate change. We explore combined approaches that include still unused and underexplored techniques that will soon go mainstream and produce massive amounts of information to address the complexity gap. As we understand how complexity reassembles after the end of agriculture, we will be able to design actions to restore or enhance it at unprecedented spatial scales while increasing its adaptability to environmental changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Moreno Mateos
- School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QY, UK; Basque Centre for Climate Change (BC3), Leioa 48940, Spain; Ikerbasque Foundation, Bilbao 48009, Spain.
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6
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Voller F, Ardanuy A, Taylor AFS, Johnson D. Maintenance of host specialisation gradients in ectomycorrhizal symbionts. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 242:1426-1435. [PMID: 37984824 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19395] [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: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Many fungi that form ectomycorrhizas exhibit a degree of host specialisation, and individual trees are frequently colonised by communities of mycorrhizal fungi comprising species that fall on a gradient of specialisation along genetic, functional and taxonomic axes of variation. By contrast, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi exhibit little specialisation. Here, we propose that host tree root morphology is a key factor that gives host plants fine-scale control over colonisation and therefore opportunities for driving specialisation and speciation of ectomycorrhizal fungi. A gradient in host specialisation is likely driven by four proximate mechanistic 'filters' comprising partner availability, signalling recognition, competition for colonisation, and symbiotic function (trade, rewards and sanctions), and the spatially restricted colonisation seen in heterorhizic roots enables these mechanisms, especially symbiotic function, to be more effective in driving the evolution of specialisation. We encourage manipulation experiments that integrate molecular genetics and isotope tracers to test these mechanisms, alongside mathematical simulations of eco-evolutionary dynamics in mycorrhizal symbioses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fay Voller
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester, Michael Smith Building, Dover Street, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK
| | - Agnès Ardanuy
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester, Michael Smith Building, Dover Street, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK
- Université de Toulouse, INRAE, UMR DYNAFOR, Castanet-Tolosan, 31320, France
| | - Andy F S Taylor
- Ecological Sciences Group, James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, AB15 8QH, UK
| | - David Johnson
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester, Michael Smith Building, Dover Street, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK
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7
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Selfish genes and mother trees. NATURE PLANTS 2024; 10:691. [PMID: 38783123 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-024-01721-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
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Martin FM, van der Heijden MGA. The mycorrhizal symbiosis: research frontiers in genomics, ecology, and agricultural application. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 242:1486-1506. [PMID: 38297461 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19541] [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: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
Mycorrhizal symbioses between plants and fungi are vital for the soil structure, nutrient cycling, plant diversity, and ecosystem sustainability. More than 250 000 plant species are associated with mycorrhizal fungi. Recent advances in genomics and related approaches have revolutionized our understanding of the biology and ecology of mycorrhizal associations. The genomes of 250+ mycorrhizal fungi have been released and hundreds of genes that play pivotal roles in regulating symbiosis development and metabolism have been characterized. rDNA metabarcoding and metatranscriptomics provide novel insights into the ecological cues driving mycorrhizal communities and functions expressed by these associations, linking genes to ecological traits such as nutrient acquisition and soil organic matter decomposition. Here, we review genomic studies that have revealed genes involved in nutrient uptake and symbiosis development, and discuss adaptations that are fundamental to the evolution of mycorrhizal lifestyles. We also evaluated the ecosystem services provided by mycorrhizal networks and discuss how mycorrhizal symbioses hold promise for sustainable agriculture and forestry by enhancing nutrient acquisition and stress tolerance. Overall, unraveling the intricate dynamics of mycorrhizal symbioses is paramount for promoting ecological sustainability and addressing current pressing environmental concerns. This review ends with major frontiers for further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francis M Martin
- Université de Lorraine, INRAE, UMR IAM, Champenoux, 54280, France
- Institute of Applied Mycology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, China
| | - Marcel G A van der Heijden
- Department of Agroecology & Environment, Plant-Soil Interactions, Agroscope, Zürich, 8046, Switzerland
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zürich, Zürich, 8057, Switzerland
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Merckx VSFT, Gomes SIF, Wang D, Verbeek C, Jacquemyn H, Zahn FE, Gebauer G, Bidartondo MI. Mycoheterotrophy in the wood-wide web. NATURE PLANTS 2024; 10:710-718. [PMID: 38641664 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-024-01677-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
The prevalence and potential functions of common mycorrhizal networks, or the 'wood-wide web', resulting from the simultaneous interaction of mycorrhizal fungi and roots of different neighbouring plants have been increasingly capturing the interest of science and society, sometimes leading to hyperbole and misinterpretation. Several recent reviews conclude that popular claims regarding the widespread nature of these networks in forests and their role in the transfer of resources and information between plants lack evidence. Here we argue that mycoheterotrophic plants associated with ectomycorrhizal or arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi require resource transfer through common mycorrhizal networks and thus are natural evidence for the occurrence and function of these networks, offering a largely overlooked window into this methodologically challenging underground phenomenon. The wide evolutionary and geographic distribution of mycoheterotrophs and their interactions with a broad phylogenetic range of mycorrhizal fungi indicate that common mycorrhizal networks are prevalent, particularly in forests, and result in net carbon transfer among diverse plants through shared mycorrhizal fungi. On the basis of the available scientific evidence, we propose a continuum of carbon transfer options within common mycorrhizal networks, and we discuss how knowledge on the biology of mycoheterotrophic plants can be instrumental for the study of mycorrhizal-mediated transfers between plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent S F T Merckx
- Understanding Evolution, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.
- Evolutionary and Population Biology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Sofia I F Gomes
- Above-belowground Interactions, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Deyi Wang
- Understanding Evolution, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Cas Verbeek
- Understanding Evolution, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
- Evolutionary and Population Biology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Hans Jacquemyn
- Plant Population Biology and Conservation, Department of Biology, Plant Conservation and Population Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Franziska E Zahn
- Laboratory of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Gerhard Gebauer
- Laboratory of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
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Ullah A, Gao D, Wu F. Common mycorrhizal network: the predominant socialist and capitalist responses of possible plant-plant and plant-microbe interactions for sustainable agriculture. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1183024. [PMID: 38628862 PMCID: PMC11020090 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1183024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Plants engage in a variety of interactions, including sharing nutrients through common mycorrhizal networks (CMNs), which are facilitated by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). These networks can promote the establishment, growth, and distribution of limited nutrients that are important for plant growth, which in turn benefits the entire network of plants. Interactions between plants and microbes in the rhizosphere are complex and can either be socialist or capitalist in nature, and the knowledge of these interactions is equally important for the progress of sustainable agricultural practice. In the socialist network, resources are distributed more evenly, providing benefits for all connected plants, such as symbiosis. For example, direct or indirect transfer of nutrients to plants, direct stimulation of growth through phytohormones, antagonism toward pathogenic microorganisms, and mitigation of stresses. For the capitalist network, AMF would be privately controlled for the profit of certain groups of plants, hence increasing competition between connected plants. Such plant interactions invading by microbes act as saprophytic and cause necrotrophy in the colonizing plants. In the first case, an excess of the nutritional resources may be donated to the receiver plants by direct transfer. In the second case, an unequal distribution of resources occurs, which certainly favor individual groups and increases competition between interactions. This largely depends on which of these responses is predominant ("socialist" or "capitalist") at the moment plants are connected. Therefore, some plant species might benefit from CMNs more than others, depending on the fungal species and plant species involved in the association. Nevertheless, benefits and disadvantages from the interactions between the connected plants are hard to distinguish in nature once most of the plants are colonized simultaneously by multiple fungal species, each with its own cost-benefits. Classifying plant-microbe interactions based on their habitat specificity, such as their presence on leaf surfaces (phyllospheric), within plant tissues (endophytic), on root surfaces (rhizospheric), or as surface-dwelling organisms (epiphytic), helps to highlight the dense and intricate connections between plants and microbes that occur both above and below ground. In these complex relationships, microbes often engage in mutualistic interactions where both parties derive mutual benefits, exemplifying the socialistic or capitalistic nature of these interactions. This review discusses the ubiquity, functioning, and management interventions of different types of plant-plant and plant-microbe interactions in CMNs, and how they promote plant growth and address environmental challenges for sustainable agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asad Ullah
- Department of Horticulture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Danmei Gao
- Department of Horticulture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops (Northeast Region), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Fengzhi Wu
- Department of Horticulture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops (Northeast Region), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
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11
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Riva F, Koper N, Fahrig L. Overcoming confusion and stigma in habitat fragmentation research. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024. [PMID: 38477434 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Anthropogenic habitat loss is widely recognized as a primary environmental concern. By contrast, debates on the effects of habitat fragmentation persist. To facilitate overcoming these debates, here we: (i) review the state of the literature on habitat fragmentation, finding widespread confusion and stigma; (ii) identify consequences of this for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem management; and (iii) suggest ways in which research can move forward to resolve these problems. Confusion is evident from the 25 most-cited fragmentation articles published between 2017 and 2021. These articles use five distinct concepts of habitat fragmentation, only one of which clearly distinguishes habitat fragmentation from habitat area and other factors ('fragmentation per se'). Stigmatization is evident from our new findings that fragmentation papers are more charged with negative sentiments when compared to papers from other subfields in the environmental sciences, and that fragmentation papers with more negative sentiments are cited more. While most empirical studies of habitat fragmentation per se find neutral or positive effects on species and biodiversity outcomes, which implies that small habitat patches have a high cumulative value, confusion and stigma in reporting and discussing such results have led to suboptimal habitat protection policy. For example, government agencies, conservation organizations, and land trusts impose minimum habitat patch sizes on habitat protection. Given the high cumulative value of small patches, such policies mean that many opportunities for conservation are being missed. Our review highlights the importance of reducing confusion and stigma in habitat fragmentation research. To this end, we propose implementing study designs in which multiple sample landscapes are selected across independent gradients of habitat amount and fragmentation, measured as patch density. We show that such designs are possible for forest habitat across Earth's biomes. As such study designs are adopted, and as language becomes more precise, we expect that confusion and stigma in habitat fragmentation research will dissipate. We also expect important breakthroughs in understanding the situations where effects of habitat fragmentation per se are neutral, positive, or negative, and the reasons for these differences. Ultimately this will improve efficacy of area-based conservation policies, to the benefit of biodiversity and people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Riva
- Environmental Geography Department, Institute for Environmental Studies, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1111, 1081, HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Nicola Koper
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, University of Northern British Columbia, 3333 University Way, Prince George, British Columbia, V2N 4Z9, Canada
| | - Lenore Fahrig
- Geomatics and Landscape Ecology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6, Canada
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12
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Irwin A. The 'Mother Tree' idea is everywhere - but how much of it is real? Nature 2024; 627:718-721. [PMID: 38531992 DOI: 10.1038/d41586-024-00893-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
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13
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Medina-Vega JA, Zuleta D, Aguilar S, Alonso A, Bissiengou P, Brockelman WY, Bunyavejchewin S, Burslem DFRP, Castaño N, Chave J, Dalling JW, de Oliveira AA, Duque Á, Ediriweera S, Ewango CEN, Filip J, Hubbell SP, Itoh A, Kiratiprayoon S, Lum SKY, Makana JR, Memiaghe H, Mitre D, Mohamad MB, Nathalang A, Nilus R, Nkongolo NV, Novotny V, O'Brien MJ, Pérez R, Pongpattananurak N, Reynolds G, Russo SE, Tan S, Thompson J, Uriarte M, Valencia R, Vicentini A, Yao TL, Zimmerman JK, Davies SJ. Tropical tree ectomycorrhiza are distributed independently of soil nutrients. Nat Ecol Evol 2024; 8:400-410. [PMID: 38200369 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-02298-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Mycorrhizae, a form of plant-fungal symbioses, mediate vegetation impacts on ecosystem functioning. Climatic effects on decomposition and soil quality are suggested to drive mycorrhizal distributions, with arbuscular mycorrhizal plants prevailing in low-latitude/high-soil-quality areas and ectomycorrhizal (EcM) plants in high-latitude/low-soil-quality areas. However, these generalizations, based on coarse-resolution data, obscure finer-scale variations and result in high uncertainties in the predicted distributions of mycorrhizal types and their drivers. Using data from 31 lowland tropical forests, both at a coarse scale (mean-plot-level data) and fine scale (20 × 20 metres from a subset of 16 sites), we demonstrate that the distribution and abundance of EcM-associated trees are independent of soil quality. Resource exchange differences among mycorrhizal partners, stemming from diverse evolutionary origins of mycorrhizal fungi, may decouple soil fertility from the advantage provided by mycorrhizal associations. Additionally, distinct historical biogeographies and diversification patterns have led to differences in forest composition and nutrient-acquisition strategies across three major tropical regions. Notably, Africa and Asia's lowland tropical forests have abundant EcM trees, whereas they are relatively scarce in lowland neotropical forests. A greater understanding of the functional biology of mycorrhizal symbiosis is required, especially in the lowland tropics, to overcome biases from assuming similarity to temperate and boreal regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- José A Medina-Vega
- Forest Global Earth Observatory, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Washington, DC, USA.
| | - Daniel Zuleta
- Forest Global Earth Observatory, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Alfonso Alonso
- Center for Conservation and Sustainability, Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Pulchérie Bissiengou
- Herbier National du Gabon, Institut de Pharmacopée et de Médecine Traditionelle, Libreville, Gabon
| | - Warren Y Brockelman
- National Biobank of Thailand, National Science and Technology Development Agency, Khlong Luang, Thailand
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - Sarayudh Bunyavejchewin
- Thai Long-Term Forest Ecological Research Project, Department of Forest Biology, Faculty of Forestry, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | - Nicolás Castaño
- Herbario Amazónico Colombiano, Instituto Amazónico de Investigaciones Científicas Sinchi, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Jérôme Chave
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique, CNRS, UPS, IRD, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - James W Dalling
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Panama
- Department of Plant Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Alexandre A de Oliveira
- Departamento de Ecologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Álvaro Duque
- Departamento de Ciencias Forestales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia Sede Medellín, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Sisira Ediriweera
- Department of Science and Technology, Uva Wellassa University, Badulla, Sri Lanka
| | - Corneille E N Ewango
- Faculty of Sciences, University of Kisangani, Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Jonah Filip
- Binatang Research Center, Madang, Papua New Guinea
| | - Stephen P Hubbell
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Akira Itoh
- Graduate School of Science, Osaka Metropolitan University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Somboon Kiratiprayoon
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Thammasat University (Rangsit), Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Shawn K Y Lum
- Asian School of the Environment, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jean-Remy Makana
- Faculty of Sciences, University of Kisangani, Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Hervé Memiaghe
- Institut de Recherche en Ecologie Tropicale, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et Technologique, Libreville, Gabon
| | - David Mitre
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Panama
| | | | - Anuttara Nathalang
- National Biobank of Thailand, National Science and Technology Development Agency, Khlong Luang, Thailand
| | - Reuben Nilus
- Sabah Forestry Department, Forest Research Centre, Sandakan, Malaysia
| | - Nsalambi V Nkongolo
- School of Science, Navajo Technical University, Crownpoint, NM, USA
- Institut Facultaire des Sciences Agronomiques (IFA) de Yangambi, Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Vojtech Novotny
- Biology Centre, Institute of Entomology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Michael J O'Brien
- Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Almería, Spain
| | - Rolando Pérez
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Panama
| | - Nantachai Pongpattananurak
- Thai Long-Term Forest Ecological Research Project, Department of Forest Biology, Faculty of Forestry, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Glen Reynolds
- Southeast Asia Rainforest Research Partnership (SEARRP), Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
| | - Sabrina E Russo
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, USA
- Center for Plant Science Innovation, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, USA
| | | | | | - María Uriarte
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Renato Valencia
- Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Alberto Vicentini
- Coordenação de Dinâmica Ambiental (CODAM), Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA), Manaus, Brazil
| | - Tze Leong Yao
- Forestry and Environment Division, Forest Research Institute Malaysia, Kepong, Malaysia
| | - Jess K Zimmerman
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR, USA
| | - Stuart J Davies
- Forest Global Earth Observatory, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Washington, DC, USA
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14
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Robinson DG, Ammer C, Polle A, Bauhus J, Aloni R, Annighöfer P, Baskin TI, Blatt MR, Bolte A, Bugmann H, Cohen JD, Davies PJ, Draguhn A, Hartmann H, Hasenauer H, Hepler PK, Kohnle U, Lang F, Löf M, Messier C, Munné-Bosch S, Murphy A, Puettmann KJ, Marchant IQ, Raven PH, Robinson D, Sanders D, Seidel D, Schwechheimer C, Spathelf P, Steer M, Taiz L, Wagner S, Henriksson N, Näsholm T. Mother trees, altruistic fungi, and the perils of plant personification. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 29:20-31. [PMID: 37735061 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2023.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
There are growing doubts about the true role of the common mycorrhizal networks (CMN or wood wide web) connecting the roots of trees in forests. We question the claims of a substantial carbon transfer from 'mother trees' to their offspring and nearby seedlings through the CMN. Recent reviews show that evidence for the 'mother tree concept' is inconclusive or absent. The origin of this concept seems to stem from a desire to humanize plant life but can lead to misunderstandings and false interpretations and may eventually harm rather than help the commendable cause of preserving forests. Two recent books serve as examples: The Hidden Life of Trees and Finding the Mother Tree.
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Affiliation(s)
- David G Robinson
- Centre for Organismal Studies, Im Neuenheimer Feld 230, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Christian Ammer
- Silvicuture and Forest Ecology of the Temperate Zones, University of Göttingen, Büsgenweg 1, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Andrea Polle
- Forest Botany and Tree Physiology, University of Göttingen, Büsgenweg 2, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jürgen Bauhus
- Chair of Silviculture, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacherstr. 4, 79085 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Roni Aloni
- School of Plant Sciences and Food Security, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Peter Annighöfer
- Forest and Agroforest Systems, Technische Universität München, Hans-Carl-v.-Carlowitz-Platz 2, 85354, Freising, Germany
| | - Tobias I Baskin
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, 611 N. Pleasant St, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Michael R Blatt
- Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biophysics, Bower Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Andreas Bolte
- Thünen Institute of Forest Ecosystems, A.-Möller-Str. 1, Haus 41/42, D-16225 Eberswalde, Germany
| | - Harald Bugmann
- Forest Ecology, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Universitätstrasse 16, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Jerry D Cohen
- Department of Horticultural Science and Microbial and Plant Genomics Institute, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Peter J Davies
- School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Andreas Draguhn
- Medical Faculty, Department of Neuro- and Senory Physiology, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 326, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Henrik Hartmann
- Julius Kühn Institute Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Forest Protection, Erwin-Baur-Str. 27, 06484 Quedlinburg, Germany
| | - Hubert Hasenauer
- Institute of Silviculture, Department of Forest- and Soil Sciences, BOKU - University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Peter-Jordan-Straße 82/II 1190, Wien, Austria
| | - Peter K Hepler
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, 611 N. Pleasant St, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Ulrich Kohnle
- Department of Forest Growth, Forstliche Versuchs- und Forschungsanstalt Baden-Württemberg, Wonnhaldestraße 4, 79100 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Friederike Lang
- Chair of Soil Ecology, University of Freiburg, Bertholdstr. 17, 79098 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Magnus Löf
- Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sundsvägen 3, P.O. Box 190, SE-234 22 Lomma, Sweden
| | - Christian Messier
- University of Quebec in Montréal (UQAM) and in Outaouais (UQO), Quebec, Canada
| | | | - Angus Murphy
- Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of Maryland, 5140 Plant Sciences Building 4291 Fieldhouse Drive College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Klaus J Puettmann
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, 321 Richardson Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Iván Quiroz Marchant
- Instituto Forestal, Calle Nueva Uno 3570 LT 4 Michaihue, San Pedro de la Paz, Concepción Chile, Chile
| | - Peter H Raven
- President Emeritus, Missouri Botanical Garden, 1037 Cy Ann Drive, Town and Country, MO 63017-8402, USA
| | - David Robinson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UU, UK
| | - Dale Sanders
- Department of Biology, University of York, Heslington York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Dominik Seidel
- Department for Spatial Structures and Digitization of Forests, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Büsgenweg 1, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Claus Schwechheimer
- Plant Systems Biology, Technische Universität München, Emil-Ramann-Straße 8, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Peter Spathelf
- Applied Silviculture, Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development, Alfred-Möller-Strasse 1, 16225 Eberswalde, Germany
| | - Martin Steer
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, Science Centre West, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Lincoln Taiz
- Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Sven Wagner
- Chair of Silviculture, Technische Universität Dresden, Pienner Str. 8, 01737 Tharandt, Germany
| | - Nils Henriksson
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umea, Sweden
| | - Torgny Näsholm
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umea, Sweden
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15
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Montgomery BL. Following the Principles of the Universe: Lessons from Plants on Individual and Communal Thriving. Integr Comp Biol 2023; 63:1391-1398. [PMID: 37604783 PMCID: PMC10755201 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icad117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The means by which plants and other organisms exist in and respond to dynamic environments to support their thriving as individuals and in communities provide lessons for humans on sustainable and resilient thriving. First examined in my book, Lessons from Plants (Harvard University Press, 2021), I explore herein the following question: "How can plants teach us to be better humans?" I consider how insights gathered from plant physiology, phenotypic plasticity, and other plant growth phenomena can help us improve our lives and our society, with a focus on highlighting academic and scientific environments. Genetically identical plants can have very different appearances, metabolisms, and behaviors if the external environments in which they are growing differ in light or nutrient availability, among other environmental differences. Plants are even capable of transformative behaviors that enable them to maximize their chances of survival in dynamic and sometimes unfriendly environments, while also transforming the environment in which they exist in the process. Highlighting examples from research on, for instance, plants' responses to light and nutrient cues, I focus on insights for humans derived from lessons from plants. These lessons focus on how plants achieve their own purposes by following common principles of the universe on thriving and resilience as individuals and in communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beronda L Montgomery
- Department of Biology, Grinnell College, 1121 Park Street, Grinnell, IA 50112, USA
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16
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Pandey S, Burch-Smith T. Overcoming citation bias is necessary for true inclusivity in Plant Science. THE PLANT CELL 2023; 36:10-13. [PMID: 37742058 PMCID: PMC10734568 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koad248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/25/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sona Pandey
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St Louis, MO 63132, USA
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17
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Färkkilä SMA, Mortimer M, Jaaniso R, Kahru A, Kiisk V, Kikas A, Kozlova J, Kurvet I, Mäeorg U, Otsus M, Kasemets K. Comparison of Toxicity and Cellular Uptake of CdSe/ZnS and Carbon Quantum Dots for Molecular Tracking Using Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a Fungal Model. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 14:10. [PMID: 38202465 PMCID: PMC10781119 DOI: 10.3390/nano14010010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Plant resource sharing mediated by mycorrhizal fungi has been a subject of recent debate, largely owing to the limitations of previously used isotopic tracking methods. Although CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) have been successfully used for in situ tracking of essential nutrients in plant-fungal systems, the Cd-containing QDs, due to the intrinsic toxic nature of Cd, are not a viable system for larger-scale in situ studies. We synthesized amino acid-based carbon quantum dots (CQDs; average hydrodynamic size 6 ± 3 nm, zeta potential -19 ± 12 mV) and compared their toxicity and uptake with commercial CdSe/ZnS QDs that we conjugated with the amino acid cysteine (Cys) (average hydrodynamic size 308 ± 150 nm, zeta potential -65 ± 4 mV) using yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a proxy for mycorrhizal fungi. We showed that the CQDs readily entered yeast cells and were non-toxic up to 100 mg/L. While the Cys-conjugated CdSe/ZnS QDs were also not toxic to yeast cells up to 100 mg/L, they were not taken up into the cells but remained on the cell surfaces. These findings suggest that CQDs may be a suitable tool for molecular tracking in fungi (incl. mychorrhizal fungi) due to their ability to enter fungal cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanni M. A. Färkkilä
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Juhan Liivi 2, 50409 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Monika Mortimer
- Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Akadeemia tee 23, 12618 Tallinn, Estonia; (M.M.); (A.K.); (I.K.); (M.O.)
| | - Raivo Jaaniso
- Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, W. Ostwaldi 1, 50411 Tartu, Estonia; (R.J.); (V.K.); (A.K.); (J.K.)
| | - Anne Kahru
- Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Akadeemia tee 23, 12618 Tallinn, Estonia; (M.M.); (A.K.); (I.K.); (M.O.)
| | - Valter Kiisk
- Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, W. Ostwaldi 1, 50411 Tartu, Estonia; (R.J.); (V.K.); (A.K.); (J.K.)
| | - Arvo Kikas
- Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, W. Ostwaldi 1, 50411 Tartu, Estonia; (R.J.); (V.K.); (A.K.); (J.K.)
| | - Jekaterina Kozlova
- Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, W. Ostwaldi 1, 50411 Tartu, Estonia; (R.J.); (V.K.); (A.K.); (J.K.)
| | - Imbi Kurvet
- Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Akadeemia tee 23, 12618 Tallinn, Estonia; (M.M.); (A.K.); (I.K.); (M.O.)
| | - Uno Mäeorg
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Tartu, Ravila 14a, 50411 Tartu, Estonia;
| | - Maarja Otsus
- Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Akadeemia tee 23, 12618 Tallinn, Estonia; (M.M.); (A.K.); (I.K.); (M.O.)
| | - Kaja Kasemets
- Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Akadeemia tee 23, 12618 Tallinn, Estonia; (M.M.); (A.K.); (I.K.); (M.O.)
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18
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Delavaux CS, LaManna JA, Myers JA, Phillips RP, Aguilar S, Allen D, Alonso A, Anderson-Teixeira KJ, Baker ME, Baltzer JL, Bissiengou P, Bonfim M, Bourg NA, Brockelman WY, Burslem DFRP, Chang LW, Chen Y, Chiang JM, Chu C, Clay K, Cordell S, Cortese M, den Ouden J, Dick C, Ediriweera S, Ellis EC, Feistner A, Freestone AL, Giambelluca T, Giardina CP, Gilbert GS, He F, Holík J, Howe RW, Huaraca Huasca W, Hubbell SP, Inman F, Jansen PA, Johnson DJ, Kral K, Larson AJ, Litton CM, Lutz JA, Malhi Y, McGuire K, McMahon SM, McShea WJ, Memiaghe H, Nathalang A, Norden N, Novotny V, O'Brien MJ, Orwig DA, Ostertag R, Parker GG'J, Pérez R, Reynolds G, Russo SE, Sack L, Šamonil P, Sun IF, Swanson ME, Thompson J, Uriarte M, Vandermeer J, Wang X, Ware I, Weiblen GD, Wolf A, Wu SH, Zimmerman JK, Lauber T, Maynard DS, Crowther TW, Averill C. Mycorrhizal feedbacks influence global forest structure and diversity. Commun Biol 2023; 6:1066. [PMID: 37857800 PMCID: PMC10587352 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05410-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
One mechanism proposed to explain high species diversity in tropical systems is strong negative conspecific density dependence (CDD), which reduces recruitment of juveniles in proximity to conspecific adult plants. Although evidence shows that plant-specific soil pathogens can drive negative CDD, trees also form key mutualisms with mycorrhizal fungi, which may counteract these effects. Across 43 large-scale forest plots worldwide, we tested whether ectomycorrhizal tree species exhibit weaker negative CDD than arbuscular mycorrhizal tree species. We further tested for conmycorrhizal density dependence (CMDD) to test for benefit from shared mutualists. We found that the strength of CDD varies systematically with mycorrhizal type, with ectomycorrhizal tree species exhibiting higher sapling densities with increasing adult densities than arbuscular mycorrhizal tree species. Moreover, we found evidence of positive CMDD for tree species of both mycorrhizal types. Collectively, these findings indicate that mycorrhizal interactions likely play a foundational role in global forest diversity patterns and structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille S Delavaux
- ETH Zurich, Department of Environmental Systems Science, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Joseph A LaManna
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Jonathan A Myers
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | | | - Salomón Aguilar
- Forest Global Earth Observatory, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Panama
| | - David Allen
- Department of Biology, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT, USA
| | - Alfonso Alonso
- Center for Conservation and Sustainability, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Kristina J Anderson-Teixeira
- Forest Global Earth Observatory, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Panama
- Forest Global Earth Observatory, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Matthew E Baker
- Geography & Environmental Systems, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Pulchérie Bissiengou
- Herbier National du Gabon, Institut de Pharmacopée et de Médecine Traditionelle, Libreville, Gabon
| | - Mariana Bonfim
- Department of Biology, Temple Ambler Field Station, Temple University, Ambler, PA, USA
| | - Norman A Bourg
- Conservation Ecology Center, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Warren Y Brockelman
- National Biobank of Thailand, National Science and Technology Development Agency, Khlong Nueng, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | | | - Li-Wan Chang
- Taiwan Forestry Research Institute, Taipei City, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Yang Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Ecology/School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jyh-Min Chiang
- Department of Life Science, Tunghai University, Taichung City, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Chengjin Chu
- School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Keith Clay
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Susan Cordell
- Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, USDA Forest Service, Hilo, HI, USA
| | - Mary Cortese
- Department of Biology, Temple Ambler Field Station, Temple University, Ambler, PA, USA
| | - Jan den Ouden
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Christopher Dick
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Sisira Ediriweera
- Department of Science and Technology, Uva Wellassa University, Badulla, Sri Lanka
| | - Erle C Ellis
- Geography & Environmental Systems, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Anna Feistner
- Gabon Biodiversity Program, Center for Conservation and Sustainability, Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Gamba, Gabon
| | - Amy L Freestone
- Department of Biology, Temple Ambler Field Station, Temple University, Ambler, PA, USA
| | - Thomas Giambelluca
- University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1910 East-West Rd., Honolulu, HI, USA
- Water Resources Research Center, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, USA
| | | | - Gregory S Gilbert
- Environmental Studies Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Fangliang He
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Jan Holík
- Department of Forest Ecology, Silva Tarouca Research Institute, Průhonice, Czech Republic
| | - Robert W Howe
- Department of Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, Green Bay, WI, USA
| | - Walter Huaraca Huasca
- Environmental Change Institute, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Stephen P Hubbell
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Faith Inman
- Department of Biology, University of Hawaii, Hilo, HI, USA
| | - Patrick A Jansen
- Forest Global Earth Observatory, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Panama
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Daniel J Johnson
- School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA
| | - Kamil Kral
- Department of Forest Ecology, Silva Tarouca Research Institute, Průhonice, Czech Republic
| | - Andrew J Larson
- Department of Forest Management, W. A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
- The Wilderness Institute, W. A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
| | - Creighton M Litton
- University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1910 East-West Rd., Honolulu, HI, USA
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, USA
| | - James A Lutz
- The Ecology Center, Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA
- Wildland Resources Department, Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA
| | - Yadvinder Malhi
- Environmental Change Institute, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Krista McGuire
- Department of Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
| | - Sean M McMahon
- Forest Global Earth Observatory, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, NJ, USA
| | - William J McShea
- Conservation Ecology Center, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Hervé Memiaghe
- Department of Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et Technologique, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Anuttara Nathalang
- National Biobank of Thailand, National Science and Technology Development Agency, Khlong Nueng, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Natalia Norden
- Programa Ciencias de la Biodiversidad, Instituto de Investigacion de Recursos Biologicos Alexander von Humboldt, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Vojtech Novotny
- Biology Centre, Institute of Entomology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Michael J O'Brien
- Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Almería, Spain
| | - David A Orwig
- Harvard Forest, Harvard University, Petersham, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Rolando Pérez
- Forest Global Earth Observatory, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Panama
| | - Glen Reynolds
- The Royal Society SEARRP (UK/Malaysia), Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Sabrina E Russo
- School of Biological Sciences and Center for Plant Science Innovation, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA
| | - Lawren Sack
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Pavel Šamonil
- Department of Forest Ecology, Silva Tarouca Research Institute, Průhonice, Czech Republic
| | - I-Fang Sun
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, National Dong Hwa University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Mark E Swanson
- School of the Environment, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | | | - Maria Uriarte
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - John Vandermeer
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Xihua Wang
- Tiantong National Forest Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ian Ware
- U.S. Forest Service, Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Hilo, HI, USA
| | - George D Weiblen
- Department of Plant & Microbial Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Amy Wolf
- Department of Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, Green Bay, WI, USA
| | - Shu-Hui Wu
- Botanical Garden Division, Taiwan Forestry Research Institute, Taipei City, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Jess K Zimmerman
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico
| | - Thomas Lauber
- ETH Zurich, Department of Environmental Systems Science, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Daniel S Maynard
- ETH Zurich, Department of Environmental Systems Science, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Thomas W Crowther
- ETH Zurich, Department of Environmental Systems Science, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Colin Averill
- ETH Zurich, Department of Environmental Systems Science, Zurich, Switzerland
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19
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Klein T, Rog I, Livne-Luzon S, van der Heijden MG, Körner C. Belowground carbon transfer across mycorrhizal networks among trees: Facts, not fantasy. OPEN RESEARCH EUROPE 2023; 3:168. [PMID: 38152158 PMCID: PMC10751480 DOI: 10.12688/openreseurope.16594.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
The mycorrhizal symbiosis between fungi and plants is among the oldest, ubiquitous and most important interactions in terrestrial life on Earth. Carbon (C) transfer across a common mycorrhizal network (CMN) was demonstrated over half a century ago in the lab ( Reid & Woods, 1969), and later in the field ( Simard et al., 1997a). Recent years have seen ample progress in this research direction, including evidence for ecological significance of carbon transfer ( Klein et al., 2016). Furthermore, specific cases where the architecture of mycorrhizal networks have been mapped ( Beiler et al., 2015) and CMN-C transfer from mature trees to seedlings has been demonstrated ( Orrego, 2018) have suggested that trees in forests are more connected than once thought ( Simard, 2021). In a recent Perspective, Karst et al. (2023) offered a valuable critical review warning of over-interpretation and positive citation bias in CMN research. It concluded that while there is evidence for C movement among plants, the importance of CMNs remains unclear, as noted by others too ( Henriksson et al., 2023). Here we argue that while some of these claims are justified, factual evidence about belowground C transfer across CMNs is solid and accumulating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamir Klein
- Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Center District, Israel
| | - Ido Rog
- Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Center District, Israel
- agroscope, Zuerich, Switzerland
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20
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Johnson D, Liu X, Burslem DFRP. Symbiotic control of canopy dominance in subtropical and tropical forests. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 28:995-1003. [PMID: 37087357 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2023.03.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Subtropical and tropical forests in Asia often comprise canopy dominant trees that form symbioses with ectomycorrhizal fungi, and species-rich understorey trees that form symbioses with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. We propose a virtuous phosphorus acquisition hypothesis to explain this distinct structure. The hypothesis is based on (i) seedlings being rapidly colonised by ectomycorrhizal fungi from established mycelial networks that generates positive feedback and resistance to pathogens, (ii) ectomycorrhizal fungi having evolved a suite of morphological, physiological, and molecular traits to enable them to capture phosphorus from a diversity of chemical forms, including organic forms, and (iii) allocation of photosynthate carbon from adult host plants to provide the energy needed to undertake these processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Johnson
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester, Michael Smith Building, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK.
| | - Xubing Liu
- Department of Ecology, School of Life Sciences/State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - David F R P Burslem
- School of Biological Sciences, Cruickshank Building, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 3UU, UK
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21
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Groten K, Yon F, Baldwin IT. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi influence the intraspecific competitive ability of plants under field and glasshouse conditions. PLANTA 2023; 258:60. [PMID: 37535207 PMCID: PMC10400695 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-023-04214-z] [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: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
MAIN CONCLUSION Nicotiana attenuata's capacity to interact with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi influences its intraspecific competitive ability under field and glasshouse conditions, but not its overall community productivity. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi can alter the nutrient status and growth of plants, and they can also affect plant-plant, plant-herbivore, and plant-pathogen interactions. These AM effects are rarely studied in populations under natural conditions due to the limitation of non-mycorrhizal controls. Here we used a genetic approach, establishing field and glasshouse communities of AM-harboring Nicotiana attenuata empty vector (EV) plants and isogenic plants silenced in calcium- and calmodulin-dependent protein kinase expression (irCCaMK), and unable to establish AM symbioses. Performance and growth were quantified in communities of the same (monocultures) or different genotypes (mixed cultures) and both field and glasshouse experiments returned similar responses. In mixed cultures, AM-harboring EV plants attained greater stalk lengths, shoot and root biomasses, clearly out-competing the AM fungal-deficient irCCaMK plants, while in monocultures, both genotypes grew similarly. Competitive ability was also reflected in reproductive traits: EV plants in mixed cultures outperformed irCCaMK plants. When grown in monocultures, the two genotypes did not differ in reproductive performance, though total leaf N and P contents were significantly lower independent of the community type. Plant productivity in terms of growth and seed production at the community level did not differ, while leaf nutrient content of phosphorus and nitrogen depended on the community type. We infer that AM symbioses drastically increase N. attenuata's competitive ability in mixed communities resulting in increased fitness for the individuals harboring AM without a net gain for the community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin Groten
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knoell-Str. 8, 07745, Jena, Germany.
| | - Felipe Yon
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knoell-Str. 8, 07745, Jena, Germany
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - Ian T Baldwin
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knoell-Str. 8, 07745, Jena, Germany
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Henriksson N, Marshall J, Högberg MN, Högberg P, Polle A, Franklin O, Näsholm T. Re-examining the evidence for the mother tree hypothesis - resource sharing among trees via ectomycorrhizal networks. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023. [PMID: 37149889 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Seminal scientific papers positing that mycorrhizal fungal networks can distribute carbon (C) among plants have stimulated a popular narrative that overstory trees, or 'mother trees', support the growth of seedlings in this way. This narrative has far-reaching implications for our understanding of forest ecology and has been controversial in the scientific community. We review the current understanding of ectomycorrhizal C metabolism and observations on forest regeneration that make the mother tree narrative debatable. We then re-examine data and conclusions from publications that underlie the mother tree hypothesis. Isotopic labeling methods are uniquely suited for studying element fluxes through ecosystems, but the complexity of mycorrhizal symbiosis, low detection limits, and small carbon discrimination in biological processes can cause researchers to make important inferences based on miniscule shifts in isotopic abundance, which can be misleading. We conclude that evidence of a significant net C transfer via common mycorrhizal networks that benefits the recipients is still lacking. Furthermore, a role for fungi as a C pipeline between trees is difficult to reconcile with any adaptive advantages for the fungi. Finally, the hypothesis is neither supported by boreal forest regeneration patterns nor consistent with the understanding of physiological mechanisms controlling mycorrhizal symbiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nils Henriksson
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-901 83, Umeå, Sweden
| | - John Marshall
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-901 83, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Mona N Högberg
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-901 83, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Peter Högberg
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-901 83, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Andrea Polle
- Forest Botany and Tree Physiology, Georg-August University of Göttingen, Büsgenweg 2, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Oskar Franklin
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-901 83, Umeå, Sweden
- International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Schlossplatz 1, Laxenburg, A-2361, Austria
| | - Torgny Näsholm
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-901 83, Umeå, Sweden
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