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Updated: Jun 23, 2025

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A trait-based root acquisition-defence-decomposition framework in angiosperm tree species.

Jiajia Zheng1,2,3, Grégoire T Freschet4, Leho Tedersoo5,6

  • 1Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.

Nature Communications
|June 21, 2024
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Plants balance root resource acquisition and defense, influencing soil nutrient cycling through microbial partnerships. This study quantifies these belowground trade-offs across 90 tree species, revealing evolutionary links between root strategies and ecosystem nutrient dynamics.

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Area of Science:

  • Plant Ecology
  • Belowground Ecology
  • Ecosystem Nutrient Cycling

Background:

  • Plants balance root resource acquisition and defense to adapt to belowground conditions.
  • Root-microorganism partnerships (arbuscular and ectomycorrhizal fungi) mediate these trade-offs.
  • These trade-offs influence decomposition and nutrient availability, creating feedback loops.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To propose and test a trait-based conceptual framework linking root acquisition, defense, and decomposition.
  • To quantify the strength of linkages between root traits, fungal symbiosis, and decomposition rates.
  • To explore evolutionary shifts in plant belowground strategies and their ecosystem consequences.

Main Methods:

  • Investigated 90 angiosperm tree species.
  • Analyzed root fungal symbiosis, root chemical defense (condensed tannins), and root decomposition rates.
  • Utilized a trait-based approach within the root economics space.

Main Results:

  • Root fungal symbiosis, chemical defense, and decomposition rate are closely linked at the species level.
  • Demonstrated a continuous shift in feedback loops from ancient to modern taxa.
  • Ancient taxa show high arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis, low defense, fast decomposition, and inorganic nutrition.
  • Modern taxa exhibit high ectomycorrhizal symbiosis, high defense, slow decomposition, and organic nutrition.

Conclusions:

  • The 'acquisition-defence-decomposition' framework is supported by empirical evidence.
  • Plant belowground strategies exhibit evolutionary trends influencing ecosystem nutrient cycling.
  • Provides a foundation for future research on belowground linkages and nutrient dynamics.