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Small‐scale spatial variability in the distribution of ectomycorrhizal fungi affects plant performance and fungal diversity
Author(s) -
LivneLuzon Stav,
Ovadia Ofer,
Weber Gil,
Avidan Yael,
Migael Hen,
Glassman Sydney I.,
Bruns Thomas D.,
Shemesh Hagai
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
ecology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.852
H-Index - 265
eISSN - 1461-0248
pISSN - 1461-023X
DOI - 10.1111/ele.12816
Subject(s) - biology , fungal diversity , ecology , botany , seedling , taxon , spatial distribution , homogeneous , symbiosis , ectomycorrhiza , mycorrhiza , statistics , physics , mathematics , genetics , bacteria , thermodynamics
The effects of spatial heterogeneity in negative biological interactions on individual performance and species diversity have been studied extensively. However, little is known about the respective effects involving positive biological interactions, including the symbiosis between plants and ectomycorrhizal ( EM ) fungi. Using a greenhouse bioassay, we explored how spatial heterogeneity of natural soil inoculum influences the performance of pine seedlings and composition of their root‐associated EM fungi. When the inoculum was homogenously distributed, a single EM fungal taxon dominated the roots of most pine seedlings, reducing the diversity of EM fungi at the treatment level, while substantially improving pine seedling performance. In contrast, clumped inoculum allowed the proliferation of several different EM fungi, increasing the overall EM fungal diversity. The most dominant EM fungal taxon detected in the homogeneous treatment was also a highly beneficial mutualist, implying that the trade‐off between competitive ability and mutualistic capacity does not always exist.