Abstract
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 542-553 |
| Journal | New Phytologist |
| Volume | 218 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| Early online date | 22 Feb 2018 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Apr 2018 |
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Lost in diversity: the interactions between soil-borne fungi, biodiversity and plant productivity. / Mommer, L.; Cotton, Anne; Raaijmakers, J.M.; Termorshuizen, A.J.; van Ruijven, J.; Hendriks, Marloes; van Rijssel, Sophie; van de Mortel, J.E.; van der Paauw, J.W.M.; Schijlen, E.G.W.M.; Smit-Tiekstra, Annemiek; Berendse, F.; de Kroon, Hans; Dumbrell, A.J.
In: New Phytologist, Vol. 218, No. 2, 04.2018, p. 542-553.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review
TY - JOUR
T1 - Lost in diversity: the interactions between soil-borne fungi, biodiversity and plant productivity
AU - Mommer, L.
AU - Cotton, Anne
AU - Raaijmakers, J.M.
AU - Termorshuizen, A.J.
AU - van Ruijven, J.
AU - Hendriks, Marloes
AU - van Rijssel, Sophie
AU - van de Mortel, J.E.
AU - van der Paauw, J.W.M.
AU - Schijlen, E.G.W.M.
AU - Smit-Tiekstra, Annemiek
AU - Berendse, F.
AU - de Kroon, Hans
AU - Dumbrell, A.J.
PY - 2018/4
Y1 - 2018/4
N2 - There is consensus that plant species richness enhances plant productivity within natural grasslands, but the underlying drivers remain debated. Recently, differential accumulation of soil-borne fungal pathogens across the plant diversity gradient has been proposed as a cause of this pattern. However, the below-ground environment has generally been treated as a 'black box' in biodiversity experiments, leaving these fungi unidentified. Using next generation sequencing and pathogenicity assays, we analysed the community composition of root-associated fungi from a biodiversity experiment to examine if evidence exists for host specificity and negative density dependence in the interplay between soil-borne fungi, plant diversity and productivity. Plant species were colonised by distinct (pathogenic) fungal communities and isolated fungal species showed negative, species-specific effects on plant growth. Moreover, 57% of the pathogenic fungal operational taxonomic units (OTUs) recorded in plant monocultures were not detected in eight plant species plots, suggesting a loss of pathogenic OTUs with plant diversity. Our work provides strong evidence for host specificity and negative density-dependent effects of root-associated fungi on plant species in grasslands. Our work substantiates the hypothesis that fungal root pathogens are an important driver of biodiversity-ecosystem functioning relationships.
AB - There is consensus that plant species richness enhances plant productivity within natural grasslands, but the underlying drivers remain debated. Recently, differential accumulation of soil-borne fungal pathogens across the plant diversity gradient has been proposed as a cause of this pattern. However, the below-ground environment has generally been treated as a 'black box' in biodiversity experiments, leaving these fungi unidentified. Using next generation sequencing and pathogenicity assays, we analysed the community composition of root-associated fungi from a biodiversity experiment to examine if evidence exists for host specificity and negative density dependence in the interplay between soil-borne fungi, plant diversity and productivity. Plant species were colonised by distinct (pathogenic) fungal communities and isolated fungal species showed negative, species-specific effects on plant growth. Moreover, 57% of the pathogenic fungal operational taxonomic units (OTUs) recorded in plant monocultures were not detected in eight plant species plots, suggesting a loss of pathogenic OTUs with plant diversity. Our work provides strong evidence for host specificity and negative density-dependent effects of root-associated fungi on plant species in grasslands. Our work substantiates the hypothesis that fungal root pathogens are an important driver of biodiversity-ecosystem functioning relationships.
U2 - 10.1111/nph.15036
DO - 10.1111/nph.15036
M3 - Article
VL - 218
SP - 542
EP - 553
JO - New Phytologist
JF - New Phytologist
SN - 0028-646X
IS - 2
ER -