scholarly journals A quantitative synthesis of soil microbial effects on plant species coexistence

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xinyi Yan ◽  
Jonathan M. Levine ◽  
Gaurav S. Kandlikar
Keyword(s):  
Species Interactions ◽  
Soil Microbes ◽  
Species Coexistence ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Priority Effects ◽  
Soil Microbial ◽  
Plant Soil ◽  
Niche Differences ◽  
Plant Coexistence ◽  
Microbial Effects

Soil microorganisms play a major role in shaping plant diversity, not only through their direct effects as pathogens, mutualists, and decomposers, but also by altering interactions between plants. In particular, previous research has shown that the soil community often generates frequency-dependent feedback loops among plants that can either destabilize species interactions, or generate stabilizing niche differences that promote species coexistence. However, recent insights from modern coexistence theory have shown that microbial effects on plant coexistence depend not only on these stabilizing or destabilizing effects, but also on the degree to which they generate competitive fitness differences. While many previous experiments have generated the data necessary for evaluating microbially mediated fitness differences, these effects have rarely been quantified in the literature. Here we present a meta-analysis of data from 50 studies, which we used to quantify the microbially mediated (de)stabilization and fitness differences derived from a classic plant-soil feedback model. Across 518 pairwise comparisons, we found that soil microbes generated both stabilization (or destabilization) and fitness differences, but also that the microbially mediated fitness differences dominated. As a consequence, if plants are otherwise equivalent competitors, the balance of soil microbe-generated (de)stabilization and fitness differences drives species exclusion much more frequently than coexistence or priority effects. Our work shows that microbially mediated fitness differences are an important but overlooked effect of soil microbes on plant coexistence. This finding paves the way for a more complete understanding of the processes that maintain plant biodiversity.

scholarly journals Compatible Mycorrhizal Types Contribute to a Better Design for Mixed Eucalyptus Plantations

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fangcuo Qin ◽  
Shixiao Yu
Keyword(s):  
Soil Microbes ◽  
Species Coexistence ◽  
Woody Species ◽  
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal ◽  
Mixed Species ◽  
Soil Microbial ◽  
Plant Soil ◽  
Mycorrhizal Association ◽  
Survival And Growth ◽  
Mycorrhizal Plants

Mixed-species forest plantation is a sound option to facilitate ecological restoration, plant diversity and ecosystem functions. Compatible species combinations are conducive to reconstruct plant communities that can persist at a low cost without further management and even develop into natural forest communities. However, our understanding of how the compatibility of mycorrhizal types mediates species coexistence is still limited, especially in a novel agroforestry system. Here, we assessed the effects of mycorrhizal association type on the survival and growth of native woody species in mixed-species Eucalyptus plantations. To uncover how mycorrhizal type regulates plant-soil feedbacks, we first conducted a pot experiments by treating distinct mycorrhizal plants with soil microbes from their own or other mycorrhizal types. We then compared the growth response of arbuscular mycorrhizal plants and ectomycorrhizal plants to different soil microbial compositions associated with Eucalyptus plants. We found that the type of mycorrhizal association had a significant impact on the survival and growth of native tree species in the Eucalyptus plantations. The strength and direction of the plant-soil feedbacks of focal tree species depended on mycorrhizal type. Non-mycorrhizal plants had consistent negative feedbacks with the highest survival in the Eucalyptus plantations, whereas nitrogen-fixing plants had consistent positive feedbacks and the lowest survival. Arbuscular mycorrhizal and ectomycorrhizal plants performed varied feedback responses to soil microbes from distinct mycorrhizal plant species. Non-mycorrhizal plants grew better with Eucalyptus soil microbes while nitrogen-fixing plants grew worse with their own conspecific soil microbes. Different soil microbial compositions of Eucalyptus consistently increased the aboveground growth of arbuscular mycorrhizal plants, but the non-mycorrhizal microbial composition of the Eucalyptus soil resulted in greater belowground growth of ectomycorrhizal plants. Overall, Eucalyptus plants induced an unfavorable soil community, impeding coexistence with other mycorrhizal plants. Our study provides consistent observational and experimental evidence that mycorrhizal-mediated plant-microbial feedback on species coexistence among woody species. These findings are with important implications to optimize the species combinations for better design of mixed forest plantations.

scholarly journals Metabolic Symbiosis Facilitates Species Coexistence and Generates Light-Dependent Priority Effects

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Veronica Hsu ◽  
Holly V. Moeller
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Source ◽  
Community Composition ◽  
Green Algae ◽  
Species Interactions ◽  
Species Coexistence ◽  
Priority Effects ◽  
Competitive Interactions ◽  
Paramecium Bursaria ◽  
Mutual Benefit ◽  
Cascading Effects

Metabolic symbiosis is a form of symbiosis in which organisms exchange metabolites, typically for mutual benefit. For example, acquired phototrophs like Paramecium bursaria obtain photosynthate from endosymbiotic green algae called Chlorella. In addition to facilitating the persistence of P. bursaria by providing a carbon source that supplements P. bursaria’s heterotrophic digestion of bacteria, symbiotic Chlorella may impact competitive interactions between P. bursaria and other bacterivores, with cascading effects on community composition and overall diversity. Here, we tested the effects of metabolic symbiosis on coexistence by assessing the impacts of acquired phototrophy on priority effects, or the effect of species arrival order on species interactions, between P. bursaria and its competitor Colpidium. Our results suggest light-dependent priority effects. The acquired phototroph benefited from metabolic symbiosis during sequential arrival of each organism in competition, and led to increased growth of late-arriving Colpidium. These findings demonstrate that understanding the consequences of priority effects for species coexistence requires consideration of metabolic symbiosis.

scholarly journals Order of arrival promotes coexistence via spatial niche preemption by the weak competitor

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inês Fragata ◽  
Raul Costa-Pereira ◽  
Agnieszka Majer (Kiedrowicz) ◽  
Oscar Godoy ◽  
Sara Magalhães
Keyword(s):  
Competitive Ability ◽  
Species Coexistence ◽  
Mite Species ◽  
Priority Effects ◽  
Historical Contingency ◽  
Niche Differences ◽  
Competitive Outcomes ◽  
Two Generations ◽  
Weak Competitor ◽  
Spatial Niche

Historical contingency, such as the order of species arrival, can modify competitive outcomes via niche modification or preemption. However how these mechanisms ultimately modify stabilising niche and average fitness differences remains largely unknown. By experimentally assembling two congeneric spider mite species feeding on tomato plants during two generations, we show that order of arrival interacts with species’ competitive ability to determine competitive outcomes. Contrary to expectations, we did not observe that order of arrival cause priority effects. In fact, coexistence was predicted when the inferior competitor (Tetranychus urticae) arrived first. In that case, T. urticae colonized the preferred feeding stratum (leaves) of T. evansi leading to spatial niche preemption, which equalized fitness but also increased niche differences, driving community assembly to a close-to-neutrality scenario. Our study demonstrates how the spatial context of competitive interactions interact with species competitive ability to influence the effect of order of arrival on species coexistence.

Niche difference determines coexistence and similar underlying processes in four ecological groups

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Buche ◽  
Juerg W Spaak ◽  
Javier Jarillo Diaz ◽  
Frederik de Laender
Keyword(s):  
Species Interactions ◽  
Species Coexistence ◽  
Ecological Groups ◽  
Annual Plants ◽  
Perennial Plant ◽  
Niche Differences ◽  
Species Pairs ◽  
Community Types ◽  
Underlying Processes ◽  
Important Objective

Understanding how species interactions affect community composition is an important objective in ecology. Yet, the multitude of methods to study coexistence has hampered cross-community comparisons. Here, we standardized niche and fitness differences across 1018 species pairs to compare the processes driving composition and outcomes, among four community types (annual plant, perennial plant, phytoplankton, and bacteria/yeast). First, we show that niche differences are more important drivers of coexistence than fitness differences. Second, in all community types negative frequency dependence is the most frequent process. Finally, the outcome of species interactions differs among community types. Coexistence was the most frequent outcome for perennial plants and phytoplankton, while competitive exclusion was the most prevalent outcome in annual plants and bacteria/yeasts. Overall, our results show that niche and fitness differences can be used as a common currency that allow cross community comparisons to understand species coexistence.

scholarly journals Order of arrival promotes coexistence via spatial niche preemption by the weak competitor

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ines Fragata ◽  
Raul Costa-Pereira ◽  
Agnieszka Majer ◽  
Oscar Godoy ◽  
Sara Magalhaes
Keyword(s):  
Competitive Ability ◽  
Species Coexistence ◽  
Mite Species ◽  
Priority Effects ◽  
Historical Contingency ◽  
Niche Differences ◽  
Competitive Outcomes ◽  
Two Generations ◽  
Weak Competitor ◽  
Spatial Niche

Historical contingency, such as the order of species arrival, can modify competitive outcomes via niche modification or preemption. However, how these mechanisms ultimately modify stabilising niche and average fitness differences remains largely unknown. By experimentally assembling two congeneric spider mite species feeding on tomato plants during two generations, we show that order of arrival interacts with species' competitive ability to determine competitive outcomes. Contrary to expectations, we did not observe that order of arrival cause priority effects. In fact, coexistence was predicted when the inferior competitor (Tetranychus urticae) arrived first. In that case, T. urticae colonized the preferred feeding stratum (leaves) of T. evansi leading to spatial niche preemption, which equalized fitness but also increased niche differences, driving community assembly to a close-to-neutrality scenario. Our study demonstrates how the spatial context of competitive interactions interact with species competitive ability to influence the effect of order of arrival on species coexistence.

scholarly journals Intraspecific genetic variation and species coexistence in plant communities

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 20150853 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bodil K. Ehlers ◽  
Christian F. Damgaard ◽  
Fabien Laroche
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Variation ◽  
Species Interactions ◽  
Species Coexistence ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Genotype Distribution ◽  
Plant Interactions ◽  
Intraspecific Genetic Variation ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Plant Coexistence ◽  
Plant Plant

Many studies report that intraspecific genetic variation in plants can affect community composition and coexistence. However, less is known about which traits are responsible and the mechanisms by which variation in these traits affect the associated community. Focusing on plant–plant interactions, we review empirical studies exemplifying how intraspecific genetic variation in functional traits impacts plant coexistence. Intraspecific variation in chemical and architectural traits promotes species coexistence, by both increasing habitat heterogeneity and altering competitive hierarchies. Decomposing species interactions into interactions between genotypes shows that genotype × genotype interactions are often intransitive. The outcome of plant–plant interactions varies with local adaptation to the environment and with dominant neighbour genotypes, and some plants can recognize the genetic identity of neighbour plants if they have a common history of coexistence. Taken together, this reveals a very dynamic nature of coexistence. We outline how more traits mediating plant–plant interactions may be identified, and how future studies could use population genetic surveys of genotype distribution in nature and methods from trait-based ecology to better quantify the impact of intraspecific genetic variation on plant coexistence.

scholarly journals Plant-soil feedback in herbaceous species of Mediterranean coastal dunes

2012 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giuliano Bonanomi ◽  
Assunta Esposito ◽  
Stefano Mazzoleni
Keyword(s):  
Species Coexistence ◽  
Soil Microbial Communities ◽  
Coastal Dunes ◽  
Soil Heterogeneity ◽  
Mediterranean Vegetation ◽  
Growth And Survival ◽  
Soil Microbial ◽  
Plant Soil ◽  
Soil Feedback ◽  
Species Specific

Abstract Plants induce soil heterogeneity that can affect species coexistence. In this work, the soil heterogeneity induced by the growth of 9 species selected from Mediterranean vegetation of coastal dunes was studied in controlled conditions. We investigated the effect of the grown plants on soil characteristics (pH, electrical conductivity, NO3 -, and NH4 +) and performance of 4 target species (Dactylis hispanica, Melilotus neapolitana, Petrorhagia velutina, and Phleum subulatum). Plant growth and survival were affected by soil history in species-specific ways, showing a high variability of both parameters, with survival ranging from 100% to 0%. Soil history did not affect soil pH and conductivity but dramatically changed the availability of mineral nitrogen forms. However, for all plant species, growth and survival results were unrelated to the measured soil characters. Other factors, such as accumulation of allelopathic compounds and/or changes in soil microbial communities, may explain the observed effects. The experimental results, demonstrating a widespread occurrence of plant-soil feedback, show the importance of this process also in species-rich herbaceous Mediterranean vegetation.

scholarly journals When and where plant‐soil feedback may promote plant coexistence: a meta‐analysis

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kerri M. Crawford ◽  
Jonathan T. Bauer ◽  
Liza S. Comita ◽  
Maarten B. Eppinga ◽  
Daniel J. Johnson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Plant Soil ◽  
Soil Feedback ◽  
Plant Coexistence

scholarly journals Quantifying microbially mediated fitness differences reveals the tendency for plant-soil feedbacks to drive species exclusion among California annual plants

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gaurav S. Kandlikar ◽  
Xinyi Yan ◽  
Jonathan M. Levine ◽  
Nathan J.B. Kraft
Keyword(s):  
Soil Microbes ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Annual Plants ◽  
Plant Population Dynamics ◽  
Plant Interactions ◽  
Frequency Dependent ◽  
Plant Soil ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Plant Coexistence ◽  
Average Fitness

AbstractSoil microorganisms influence a variety of processes in plant communities. Many the-oretical and empirical studies have shown that dynamic feedbacks between plants and soil microbes can stabilize plant coexistence by generating negative frequency-dependent plant population dynamics. However, inferring the net effects of soil microbes on plant coexistence requires also quantifying the degree to which they provide one species an average fitness advantage, an effect that has received little empirical attention. We conducted a greenhouse study to quantify microbially mediated stabilization and fitness differences among fifteen pairs of annual plants that co-occur in southern California grasslands. We found that although soil microbes frequently generate negative frequency-dependent dynamics that stabilize plant interactions, they simultaneously mediate large average fitness differences between species. The net result is that if the plant species are otherwise competitively equivalent, the impact of plant-soil feedbacks is often to favor species exclusion over coexistence, a result that only becomes evident by quantifying the microbially mediated fitness difference. Our work highlights that comparing the stabilizing effects of plant-soil feedbacks to the fitness difference they generate is essential for understanding the influence of soil microbes on plant diversity.

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