Fungal colonization of plant roots is resistant to nitrogen addition and resilient to dominant species losses

Journal Article · Tue Mar 12 00:00:00 EDT 2019 · Ecosphere

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.2640· OSTI ID:1499078

Henning, Jeremiah A. ^[1]; Read, Quentin D. ^[2]; Sanders, Nathan J. ^[3]; Classen, Aimee T. ^[4]

---

1. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Tennessee 569 Dabney Hall, 1416 Circle Drive Knoxville Tennessee 37996 USA, Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory P.O. Box 519 Crested Butte Colorado 81224 USA, Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior University of Minnesota 140 Gortner Laboratory, 1479 Gortner Avenue Saint Paul Minnesota 55108 USA
2. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Tennessee 569 Dabney Hall, 1416 Circle Drive Knoxville Tennessee 37996 USA, Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory P.O. Box 519 Crested Butte Colorado 81224 USA, National Socio‐Environmental Synthesis Center (SESYNC) 1 Park Place Annapolis Maryland 21401 USA
3. Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory P.O. Box 519 Crested Butte Colorado 81224 USA, Environmental Program Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources University of Vermont Burlington Vermont 05405 USA, The Gund Institute for Environment The University of Vermont Burlington Vermont 05405 USA
4. Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory P.O. Box 519 Crested Butte Colorado 81224 USA, Environmental Program Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources University of Vermont Burlington Vermont 05405 USA, The Gund Institute for Environment The University of Vermont Burlington Vermont 05405 USA, Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources University of Vermont Burlington Vermont 05405 USA

Abstract

Global change drivers, such as nitrogen (N) deposition and non‐random species extinctions, may shift interactions among aboveground and belowground communities. However, tightly coupled interactions between aboveground and belowground organisms may buffer ecosystems to global change. Here, we test how four years of organic and inorganic N addition and removal of a dominant plant species, Festuca thurberi , independently and interactively influences fungal colonization patterns and performance in a co‐dominant plant species, Helianthella quinquenervis . Surprisingly, we found N addition and Festuca removal had no measurable effects on the colonization of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and dark septate endophyte ( DSE ) or the performance of Helianthella seedlings grown with field‐collected inoculum in a companion greenhouse experiment. However, the proximity of Helianthella to Festuca predicted fungal colonization: DSE colonization decreased by 1% for each cm of distance Helianthella was from Festuca , although the differences in fungal inoculum potential had no effect on Helianthella seedling survival or biomass. Our results suggest that plant–fungal interactions can be resistant to N addition and resilient to the loss of dominant plant species. Additionally, our results suggest that soil legacies, mediated through surviving symbiont communities or changes in soil properties, can shape ecosystem resistance and resilience to disturbance and perturbations.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• Grant/Contract Number: SC0010562
• OSTI ID: 1499078
• Alternate ID(s): OSTI ID: 1500017; OSTI ID: 1499079
• Journal Information: Ecosphere, Journal Name: Ecosphere Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 10; ISSN 2150-8925
• Publisher: Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English