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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 8, 2026

Investigation of Plant Interactions Across Common Mycorrhizal Networks Using Rotated Cores

Investigation of Plant Interactions Across Common Mycorrhizal Networks Using Rotated Cores

Published on: March 26, 2019

Neighbours rewire plant-soil feedback patterns via reshaping root microbiomes.

Mireadili Kuerban¹, Sofia I F Gomes¹, T Martijn Bezemer²

¹Above-Belowground Interactions Group, Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands.

|July 6, 2026

Summary

Plant neighbours impact grassland growth, but soil microbes, especially from diverse plant legacies, can mitigate negative effects. Neighbour-induced shifts in root-associated bacteria explain these plant interactions and growth responses.

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Experimental Protocol for Manipulating Plant-induced Soil Heterogeneity

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Investigation of Plant Interactions Across Common Mycorrhizal Networks Using Rotated Cores

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Experimental Protocol for Manipulating Plant-induced Soil Heterogeneity

Experimental Protocol for Manipulating Plant-induced Soil Heterogeneity

Published on: March 13, 2014

Area of Science:

Plant ecology
Soil microbiology
Community dynamics

Background:

Plant growth is influenced by soil microbiomes and neighboring plants.
Mechanistic understanding of these interactions is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

Investigate how plant neighbours and soil microbial legacies interact to affect plant growth.
Determine the role of root-associated bacterial communities in mediating plant-plant interactions.

Main Methods:

Plant-soil feedback experiments with six grassland species.
Utilized sterile soil and soils with conspecific and heterospecific plant legacies.
Analyzed root-associated bacterial communities and plant growth responses.

Main Results:

Neighbour-induced growth suppression was alleviated by soil microbes, particularly in heterospecific legacy soils.
Plants performed better with heterospecific neighbours than conspecific ones.
Neighbours altered focal plant root-associated bacteria, with shifts predicting growth responses.

Conclusions:

Neighbour-induced bacterial reassembly, influenced by soil microbial legacies, mediates plant-plant interactions.
Soil microbiomes integrate with direct plant interactions to shape grassland community dynamics.
This mechanism offers insights into plant coexistence and competition.