Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 20, 2026
09:17
Investigation of Plant Interactions Across Common Mycorrhizal Networks Using Rotated Cores
Published on: March 26, 2019
Community-level consequences of mycorrhizae depend on phosphorus availability
Cathy D Collins1, Bryan L Foster
1University of Kansas, 1200 Sunnyside Avenue, Haworth Hall, Lawrence, Kansas 66045, USA. cathy.collins@wustl.edu
Ecology
|September 23, 2009
Summary
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) impact grassland plant diversity. Soil nutrient levels, particularly phosphorus, determine if AMF increase or decrease diversity, affecting coexistence and community structure.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Plant Science
- Mycology
Background:
- Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are crucial for plant diversity in grasslands.
- The effect of AMF on diversity depends on the mycotrophy of dominant versus subordinate plants.
- The role of soil nutrient levels in mediating AMF's influence on plant coexistence is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how soil nutrient levels influence the ability of AMF to mediate plant species coexistence in grasslands.
- To develop a conceptual model predicting AMF's impact on diversity across a soil nutrient gradient.
- To test these predictions using experimental mesocosms with native prairie grasses.
Main Methods:
- Developed a conceptual model for AMF influence on diversity along a soil nutrient gradient.
- Manipulated phosphorus levels to create a soil nutrient gradient in mesocosms.
- Compared plant community properties (diversity, productivity, structure) with and without AMF.
Main Results:
- AMF increased plant diversity and productivity in phosphorus-limited conditions.
- AMF had minimal impact on aboveground communities at high phosphorus levels.
- Community composition differences were driven by a trade-off between C3 and C4 grass abundance.
Conclusions:
- Soil nutrient availability, specifically phosphorus, constrains the mutualistic relationship between AMF and plants.
- Environmental constraints on mutualisms significantly govern community and ecosystem properties.
- Understanding these interactions is key to predicting grassland ecosystem dynamics.
Related Concept Videos
01:09Microbe-Plant Interactions
Microbe-plant interactions represent a dynamic spectrum of associations shaped by intricate chemical signaling. These interactions can be neutral, beneficial, or detrimental, and profoundly influence plant physiology, growth, and ecosystem function. The plant microbiome, comprising bacteria, fungi, archaea, protists, and viruses, plays a pivotal role in mediating these effects through surface colonization, internal colonization, or systemic symbiosis.Mutualistic associations, particularly with...
01:21The Phosphorus Cycle
Unlike carbon, water, and nitrogen, phosphorus is not present in the atmosphere as a gas. Instead, most phosphorus in the ecosystem exists as compounds, such as phosphate ions (PO43-), found in soil, water, sediment and rocks. Phosphorus is often a limiting nutrient (i.e., in short supply). Consequently, phosphorus is added to most agricultural fertilizers, which can cause environmental problems related to runoff in aquatic ecosystems.
02:11The Roles of Bacteria and Fungi in Plant Nutrition
Plants have the impressive ability to create their own food through photosynthesis. However, plants often require assistance from organisms in the soil to acquire the nutrients they need to function correctly. Both bacteria and fungi have evolved symbiotic relationships with plants that help the species to thrive in a wide variety of environments.
01:29Soil Microbial Ecology
Soil microbial ecology is defined by highly diverse, spatially structured communities that drive nutrient cycling, organic matter turnover, and overall ecosystem stability. Although a gram of soil can contain thousands of bacterial and archaeal taxa, the ecological processes they mediate are even more crucial for sustaining terrestrial life.Microhabitats and NichesSoil is a heterogeneous mixture of minerals, organic matter, water, and air. Microbes inhabit distinct microhabitats formed by...
01:29Fungal Group Zygomycota
Zygomycota, previously classified as a distinct fungal group, are primarily terrestrial, saprophytic molds that play a crucial role as decomposers. Recent phylogenetic studies have revealed that these fungi are now divided into two major clades — Mucoromycota, which includes many symbiotic species, and Zoopagomycota, which primarily consists of parasitic and pathogenic fungi. These groups exhibit distinct ecological roles and reproductive strategies while sharing key structural and...
01:28Fungal Phylum Microsporidia
Microsporidia are a group of obligate intracellular fungi that were initially classified as protists but were later reclassified based on phylogenetic, molecular, and structural evidence linking them to the Chytridiomycota. These unicellular, non-motile organisms are highly specialized parasites that infect a wide range of animal hosts, including humans. They have evolved extensive genomic and metabolic reductions, making them highly dependent on their hosts for survival.Morphology and Genomic...