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Smith TP, Mombrikotb S, Ransome E, Kontopoulos DG, Pawar S, Bell T. Latent functional diversity may accelerate microbial community responses to temperature fluctuations. eLife 2022; 11:80867. [DOI: 10.7554/elife.80867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
How complex microbial communities respond to climatic fluctuations remains an open question. Due to their relatively short generation times and high functional diversity, microbial populations harbor great potential to respond as a community through a combination of strain-level phenotypic plasticity, adaptation, and species sorting. However, the relative importance of these mechanisms remains unclear. We conducted a laboratory experiment to investigate the degree to which bacterial communities can respond to changes in environmental temperature through a combination of phenotypic plasticity and species sorting alone. We grew replicate soil communities from a single location at six temperatures between 4°C and 50°C. We found that phylogenetically and functionally distinct communities emerge at each of these temperatures, with K-strategist taxa favored under cooler conditions and r-strategist taxa under warmer conditions. We show that this dynamic emergence of distinct communities across a wide range of temperatures (in essence, community-level adaptation) is driven by the resuscitation of latent functional diversity: the parent community harbors multiple strains pre-adapted to different temperatures that are able to ‘switch on’ at their preferred temperature without immigration or adaptation. Our findings suggest that microbial community function in nature is likely to respond rapidly to climatic temperature fluctuations through shifts in species composition by resuscitation of latent functional diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas P Smith
- The Georgina Mace Centre for the Living Planet, Imperial College London
| | - Shorok Mombrikotb
- The Georgina Mace Centre for the Living Planet, Imperial College London
| | - Emma Ransome
- The Georgina Mace Centre for the Living Planet, Imperial College London
| | | | - Samraat Pawar
- The Georgina Mace Centre for the Living Planet, Imperial College London
| | - Thomas Bell
- The Georgina Mace Centre for the Living Planet, Imperial College London
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Mombrikotb SB, Van Agtmaal M, Johnstone E, Crawley MJ, Gweon HS, Griffiths RI, Bell T. The interactions and hierarchical effects of long-term agricultural stressors on soil bacterial communities. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2022; 14:711-718. [PMID: 35925021 PMCID: PMC9804416 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.13106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Accepted: 06/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Soils are subjected to multiple anthropogenic modifications, but the synergistic impacts of simultaneous environmental stressors on below-ground communities are poorly understood. We used a large-scale (1152 plots), long-term (26 years), multi-factorial grassland experiment to assess the impact of five common agricultural practises (pesticides, herbicide, liming, fertilizers and grazing exclusion) and their interactive effects on the composition and activity of soil microbial communities. We confirmed that pH strongly impacts belowground communities, but further demonstrate that pH strongly mediates the impacts of other management factors. Notably, there was a significant interaction between liming and the effect of pesticide application, with only half of the taxa responding to pesticide being shared in both limed and unlimed treatments. Likewise, nutrient amendments significantly altered bacterial community structure in acidic soils. Not only do these results highlight an hierarchy of effect of commonly used agricultural practices but also the widespread interactions between treatments: many taxa were significantly affected by interactions between treatments, even in the absence of significant main effects. Furthermore, the results demonstrated that chemical amendments may not percolate deeply into physically unperturbed soils with effects concentrated between 0 and 30 cm, despite 20+ years of treatment. The research shows that future changes to agricultural practices will need to consider interactions among multiple factors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maaike Van Agtmaal
- Department of Life SciencesImperial College London, AscotBerkshireUK
- Louis Bolk InstituutBunnikThe Netherlands
| | - Emma Johnstone
- Department of Life SciencesImperial College London, AscotBerkshireUK
- School of Life SciencesUniversity of WarwickCoventryUK
| | | | - Hyun S. Gweon
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of Reading, WhiteknightsReadingUK
- UK Centre of Ecology & HydrologyBangorUK
| | | | - Thomas Bell
- Department of Life SciencesImperial College London, AscotBerkshireUK
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Li Y, Dong S, Gao Q, Fan C, Fayiah M, Ganjurjav H, Hu G, Wang X, Yan Y, Gao X, Li S. Grazing Changed Plant Community Composition and Reduced Stochasticity of Soil Microbial Community Assembly of Alpine Grasslands on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:864085. [PMID: 35677251 PMCID: PMC9168915 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.864085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Grazing is a substantial threat to the sustainability of grassland ecosystems, while it is uncertain about the variety of plant and soil microbial community and the linkages between them limit the comprehensive understanding of grazing ecology. We conducted an experiment on the effects of the grazing regimes rotational grazing (RG), continuous grazing (CG), and grazing exclusion (GE) on an alpine meadow in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. The differences of plant community composition, soil microbial community assembly mechanism, and taxonomic and functional composition between grazing regimes were examined, and the relationship between plant species and the soil microbes was assessed by constructing a co-occurrence network. The results showed that the plant community composition varied with the grazing regimes, while the soil microbial community composition did not vary with the grazing regimes. The soil bacterial functional composition was similar under RG and CG, while the soil fungal functional composition was similar under GE and RG. The soil microbial community under all grazing regimes was assembled mainly according to stochastic rather than deterministic mechanisms, and RG and CG reduced the relative importance of the stochastic ratio. At the microbial phylum level, CG and GE increased the relative abundance of Acidobacteria and Armatimonadetes and CG and RG increased the relative abundance of Elusimicrobia. In the network of plant species and soil microbial classes, plants and bacteria themselves were mainly positively linked (symbiosis and promotion), while plants and soil microbes were mainly negatively linked (competition). There were five microbial generalists in the network, which connected with many microbes, and four showed no difference in their abundance among the grazing regimes. Overall, the stable key microbes in the network and the fact that many of the plants are unconnected with microbes weakened the impact of grazing-induced changes in the plant community on soil microbes, probably resulting in the stable soil microbial community composition. Moreover, there was still a dominant and tolerant plant species, Kobresia pygmaea, that connected the plant and microbial communities, implying that the dominant plant species not only played a crucial role in the plant community but also acted as a bridge between the plants and soil microbes; thus, its tolerance and dominance might stabilize the soil microbial community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Li
- School of Public Administration, Chongqing Technology and Business University, Chongqing, China
| | - Shikui Dong
- School of Grassland Science, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
- Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Qingzhu Gao
- Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chun Fan
- School of Public Administration, Chongqing Technology and Business University, Chongqing, China
| | - Moses Fayiah
- Department of Forestry, School of Natural Resources Management, Njala University, Njala, Sierra Leone
| | - Hasbagan Ganjurjav
- Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Guozheng Hu
- Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xuexia Wang
- Beijing Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yulong Yan
- China New Era Group Corporation, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoxia Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Shuai Li
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
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Soil CO 2 emission and soil attributes associated with the microbiota of a sugarcane area in southern Brazil. Sci Rep 2021; 11:8325. [PMID: 33859219 PMCID: PMC8050326 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-87479-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The spatial structure of soil CO2 emission (FCO2) and soil attributes are affected by different factors in a highly complex way. In this context, this study aimed to characterize the spatial variability patterns of FCO2 and soil physical, chemical, and microbiological attributes in a sugarcane field area after reform activities. The study was conducted in an Oxisol with the measurement of FCO2, soil temperature (Ts), and soil moisture (Ms) in a regular 90 × 90-m grid with 100 sampling points. Soil samples were collected at each sampling point at a depth of 0–0.20 m to determine soil physical (density, macroporosity, and microporosity), particle size (sand, silt, and clay), and chemical attributes (soil organic matter, pH, P, K, Ca, Mg, Al, H + Al, cation exchange capacity, and base saturation). Geostatistical analyses were performed to assess the spatial variability and map soil attributes. Two regions (R1 and R2) with contrasting emission values were identified after mapping FCO2. The abundance of bacterial 16S rRNA, pmoA, and nifH genes, determined by real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR), enzymatic activity (dehydrogenase, urease, cellulase, and amylase), and microbial biomass carbon were determined in R1 and R2. The mean values of FCO2 (2.91 µmol m−2 s−1), Ts (22.6 °C), and Ms (16.9%) over the 28-day period were similar to those observed in studies also conducted under Oxisols in sugarcane areas and conventional soil tillage. The spatial pattern of FCO2 was similar to that of macropores, air-filled pore space, silt content, soil organic matter, and soil carbon decay constant. No significant difference was observed between R1 and R2 for the copy number of bacterial 16S rRNA and nifH genes, but the results of qPCR for the pmoA gene presented differences (p < 0.01) between regions. The region R1, with the highest FCO2 (2.9 to 4.2 µmol m−2 s−1), showed higher enzymatic activity of dehydrogenase (33.02 µg TPF g−1 dry soil 24 h−1), urease (41.15 µg NH4–N g−1 dry soil 3 h−1), amylase (73.84 µg glucose g−1 dry soil 24 h−1), and microbial biomass carbon (41.35 µg C g−1 soil) than R2, which had the lowest emission (1.9 to 2.7 µmol m−2 s−1). In addition, the soil C/N ratio was higher in R2 (15.43) than in R1 (12.18). The spatial pattern of FCO2 in R1 and R2 may not be directly related to the total amount of the microbial community (bacterial 16S rRNA) in the soil but to the specific function that these microorganisms play regarding soil carbon degradation (pmoA).
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Abstract
Indirect effects in ecotoxicology are defined as chemical- or pollutant-induced alterations in the density or behavior of sensitive species that have cascading effects on tolerant species in natural systems. As a result, species interaction networks (e.g., interactions associated with predation or competition) may be altered in such a way as to bring about large changes in populations and/or communities that may further cascade to disrupt ecosystem function and services. Field studies and experimental outcomes as well as models indicate that indirect effects are most likely to occur in communities in which the strength of interactions and the sensitivity to contaminants differ markedly among species, and that indirect effects will vary over space and time as species composition, trophic structure, and environmental factors vary. However, knowledge of indirect effects is essential to improve understanding of the potential for chemical harm in natural systems. For example, indirect effects may confound laboratory-based ecological risk assessment by enhancing, masking, or spuriously indicating the direct effect of chemical contaminants. Progress to better anticipate and interpret the significance of indirect effects will be made as monitoring programs and long-term ecological research are conducted that facilitate critical experimental field and mesocosm investigations, and as chemical transport and fate models, individual-based direct effects models, and ecosystem/food web models continue to be improved and become better integrated.
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Zhao Z, Wei J, Zhang K, Li H, Wei S, Pan X, Huang W, Zhu M, Zhang R. Asymmetric response of different functional insect groups to low-grazing pressure in Eurasian steppe in Ningxia. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:11609-11618. [PMID: 30598760 PMCID: PMC6303718 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Revised: 08/20/2018] [Accepted: 08/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, the continued loss and fragmentation of steppe has caused decreased ecosystem functions and species losses in insect diversity. In the 2000s, the Chinese government developed a series of national projects, such as the construction of enclosures, to conserve natural ecosystems, including steppe. However, the effects of these enclosures on steppe arthropod community are largely unknown. In the present study, we selected enclosed and low-grazing regions at eight National Grassland Fixed Monitoring Stations to examine the compositional differences in four insect functional groups and their associated ecological functions. The results showed that diversity significantly differed between the enclosed and low-grazing regions, with the number of insect families being significantly higher in enclosed regions than in regions with low-grazing pressure. The responses of the insect community to steppe management also varied among the four groups (herbivores, predators, parasitoids, and pollinators). The abundances of herbivores, predators, and parasitoids were higher in enclosed regions than in low-grazing regions, while there was no significant difference in pollinators. Additionally, there were no significant differences in the predator/prey ratio between enclosed regions and low-grazing regions in any of the steppe types. The parasitic wasp/prey ratio was higher in enclosed regions than in low-grazing regions in meadow steppe and typical steppe, while there were no significant differences between the enclosed and low-grazing regions in desert steppe and steppe desert. Herbivores were observed to benefit much more from enclosures than predators, parasitoids, and pollinators. Therefore, we recommend low-grazing should be considered in steppe conservation, which could conserve biodiversity and achieve biocontrol functions of arthropod community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zihua Zhao
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant ProtectionChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Jing Wei
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant ProtectionChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Kaiyang Zhang
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant ProtectionChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Hao Li
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant ProtectionChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Shuhua Wei
- Institute of Plant ProtectionNingxia Academy of Agriculture and ForestryYinchuanChina
| | - Xubin Pan
- Institute of Plant QuarantineChinese Academy of Inspection and QuarantineBeijingChina
| | | | - Mengmeng Zhu
- Institute of Plant ProtectionNingxia Academy of Agriculture and ForestryYinchuanChina
| | - Rong Zhang
- Institute of Plant ProtectionNingxia Academy of Agriculture and ForestryYinchuanChina
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Xun W, Yan R, Ren Y, Jin D, Xiong W, Zhang G, Cui Z, Xin X, Zhang R. Grazing-induced microbiome alterations drive soil organic carbon turnover and productivity in meadow steppe. MICROBIOME 2018; 6:170. [PMID: 30236158 PMCID: PMC6149009 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-018-0544-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2018] [Accepted: 08/29/2018] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Grazing is a major modulator of biodiversity and productivity in grasslands. However, our understanding of grazing-induced changes in below-ground communities, processes, and soil productivity is limited. Here, using a long-term enclosed grazing meadow steppe, we investigated the impacts of grazing on the soil organic carbon (SOC) turnover, the microbial community composition, resistance and activity under seasonal changes, and the microbial contributions to soil productivity. RESULTS The results demonstrated that grazing had significant impacts on soil microbial communities and ecosystem functions in meadow steppe. The highest microbial α-diversity was observed under light grazing intensity, while the highest β-diversity was observed under moderate grazing intensity. Grazing shifted the microbial composition from fungi dominated to bacteria dominated and from slow growing to fast growing, thereby resulting in a shift from fungi-dominated food webs primarily utilizing recalcitrant SOC to bacteria-dominated food webs mainly utilizing labile SOC. Moreover, the higher fungal recalcitrant-SOC-decomposing activities and bacterial labile-SOC-decomposing activities were observed in fungi- and bacteria-dominated communities, respectively. Notably, the robustness of bacterial community and the stability of bacterial activity were associated with α-diversity, while this was not the case for the robustness of fungal community and its associated activities. Finally, we observed that microbial α-diversity rather than SOC turnover rate can predict soil productivity. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate the strong influence of grazing on soil microbial community, SOC turnover, and soil productivity and the important positive role of soil microbial α-diversity in steering the functions of meadow steppe ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weibing Xun
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources Collection and Preservation, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Ruirui Yan
- National Hulunber Grassland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Yi Ren
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Dongyan Jin
- National Hulunber Grassland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Wu Xiong
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Guishan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources Collection and Preservation, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Zhongli Cui
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Xiaoping Xin
- National Hulunber Grassland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China.
| | - Ruifu Zhang
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources Collection and Preservation, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China.
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How Fencing Affects the Soil Quality and Plant Biomass in the Grassland of the Loess Plateau. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2017; 14:ijerph14101117. [PMID: 28946681 PMCID: PMC5664618 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph14101117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2017] [Revised: 09/21/2017] [Accepted: 09/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Overgrazing is a severe problem in several regions in Northwestern China and has caused serious land degradation. Secondary natural succession plays an important role in the accumulation of soil carbon and nitrogen contents. Estimating the effects of grazing exclusion on soil quality and plant diversity will improve our understanding of the succession process after overgrazing and promote judicious management of degraded pastures. This experiment was designed to measure soil properties and plant diversity following an age chronosequence of grasslands (ages ranged from one year, 12 years, 20 years, and 30 years) in Northwestern China. The results showed that continuous fencing resulted in a considerable increase in plant coverage, plant biomass (above- and below-ground biomass), and plant diversity, which can directly or indirectly improve the accumulation of soil organic carbon and total nitrogen content. The plant coverage and the above- and below-ground biomass linearly increased along the succession time, whereas soil organic C and N contents showed a significant decline in the first 12 years and, subsequently, a significant increase. The increased plant biomass caused an increase in soil organic carbon and soil total nitrogen. These results suggested that soil restoration and plant cover were an incongruous process. Generally, soil restoration is a slow process and falls behind vegetation recovery after grazing exclusion. Although the accumulation of soil C and N stocks needed a long term, vegetation restoration was a considerable option for the degraded grassland due to the significant increase of plant biomass, diversity, and soil C and N stocks. Therefore, fencing with natural succession should be considered in the design of future degraded pastures.
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Eldridge DJ, Delgado-Baquerizo M, Travers SK, Val J, Oliver I, Hamonts K, Singh BK. Competition drives the response of soil microbial diversity to increased grazing by vertebrate herbivores. Ecology 2017; 98:1922-1931. [DOI: 10.1002/ecy.1879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2016] [Revised: 03/05/2017] [Accepted: 04/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- David J. Eldridge
- Office of Environment and Heritage; c/o School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences; University of New South Wales; Sydney New South Wales 2052 Australia
- Centre for Ecosystem Science; School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences; University of New South Wales; Sydney New South Wales 2052 Australia
| | - Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment; Western Sydney University; Penrith New South Wales 2751 Australia
| | - Samantha K. Travers
- Centre for Ecosystem Science; School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences; University of New South Wales; Sydney New South Wales 2052 Australia
| | - James Val
- Office of Environment and Heritage; P.O. Box 363 Buronga New South Wales 2739 Australia
| | - Ian Oliver
- Office of Environment and Heritage; University of New England; P.O. Box U221 Armidale New South Wales 2351 Australia
- School of Environmental and Rural Sciences; University of New England; Armidale New South Wales 2350 Australia
| | - Kelly Hamonts
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment; Western Sydney University; Penrith New South Wales 2751 Australia
| | - Brajesh K. Singh
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment; Western Sydney University; Penrith New South Wales 2751 Australia
- Global Centre for Land-Based Innovation; Western Sydney University; Penrith New South Wales 2751 Australia
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Walter J, Kreyling J, Singh BK, Jentsch A. Effects of extreme weather events and legume presence on mycorrhization of Plantago lanceolata and Holcus lanatus in the field. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2016; 18:262-270. [PMID: 26284575 DOI: 10.1111/plb.12379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2015] [Accepted: 08/11/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Little is known about direct and indirect effects of extreme weather events on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) under field conditions. In a field experiment, we investigated the response of mycorrhization to drought and heavy rain in grassland communities. We quantified AMF biomass in soil, mycorrhization of roots of the grass Holcus lanatus and the forb Plantago lanceolata, as well as plant performance. Plants were grown in four-species communities with or without a legume. We hypothesised that drought increases and heavy rain decreases mycorrhization, and that higher mycorrhization will be linked to improved stress resistance and higher biomass production. Soil AMF biomass increased under both weather extremes. Heavy rain generally benefitted plants and increased arbuscules in P. lanceolata. Drought neither reduced plant performance nor root mycorrhization. Arbuscules increased in H. lanatus several weeks after drought, and in P. lanceolata several weeks after heavy rain spells. These long-lasting effects of weather events on mycorrhization highlight the indirect influence of climate on AMF via their host plant. Legume presence increased plant community biomass, but had only minor effects on mycorrhization. Arbuscule colonisation was negatively correlated with senescence during the dry summer. Mycorrhization and biomass production in P. lanceolata were positively related. However, increased mycorrhization was related to less biomass in the grass. AMF mycelium in soil might generally increase under extreme events, root colonisation, however, is host species specific. This might amplify community shifts in grassland under climate change by further increasing stress resistance of species that already benefit from changed precipitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Walter
- Disturbance Ecology, BayCEER, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
- Institute of Landscape and Plant Ecology, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - J Kreyling
- Experimental Plant Ecology, Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, Greifswald University, Greifswald, Germany
| | - B K Singh
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, University of Western Sydney, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - A Jentsch
- Disturbance Ecology, BayCEER, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
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