z-logo
Premium
Plant species differ in their ability to reduce allocation to non‐beneficial arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi
Author(s) -
Grman Emily
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.144
H-Index - 294
eISSN - 1939-9170
pISSN - 0012-9658
DOI - 10.1890/11-1358.1
Subject(s) - biology , mutualism (biology) , parasitism , symbiosis , ecology , agronomy , glomeromycota , andropogon , botany , mycorrhiza , host (biology) , genetics , bacteria
Theory suggests that cheaters threaten the persistence of mutualisms, but that sanctions to prevent cheating can stabilize mutualisms. In the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis, reports of parasitism suggest that reductions in plant carbon allocation are not universally effective. I asked whether plant species differences in mycorrhizal responsiveness would affect both their susceptibility to parasitism and their reduction in allocation to non‐beneficial arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in high‐phosphorus soils. In a greenhouse experiment, I found that two C 3 grasses, Bromus inermis and Elymus repens , effectively suppressed root colonization and AMF hyphal abundance. Increases in soil phosphorus did not reduce the degree to which AMF increased plant biomass. In contrast, two C 4 grasses, Andropogon gerardii and Schizachyrium scoparium , more weakly reduced root colonization and failed to suppress AMF hyphal abundance. Consequently, they experienced strong declines in their response to AMF, and one species suffered parasitism. Thus, species differ in susceptibility to parasitism and their reduction in allocation to non‐beneficial AMF. These differences may affect the distribution and abundance of plants and AMF, as well as the stability of the mutualism.

This content is not available in your region!

Continue researching here.

Having issues? You can contact us here