Journal Article

Plant functional groups associate with distinct arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities

Öpik, Maarja, Soudzilovaskaia, Nadejda A., Zobel, Martin, León, Daniela, Bueno, C. Guillermo, Davison, John, Sepp, Siim-Kaarel, Vahter, Tanel, Winck, Bruna, Moora, Mari, de León, David García, Vaessen, Stijn, Gerz, Maret, Pillar, Valerio D., Barceló, Milagros, Tedersoo, Leho, Meng, Yiming

2020

Overview

• The benefits of the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis between plants and fungi are modulated by the functional characteristics of both partners. However, it is unknown to what extent functionally distinct groups of plants naturally associate with different AM fungi. • We reanalysed 14 high-throughput sequencing data sets describing AM fungal communities associating with plant individuals (2427) belonging to 297 species. We examined how root-associating AM fungal communities varied between plants with different growth forms, photosynthetic pathways, CSR (competitor, stress-tolerator, ruderal) strategies, mycorrhizal statuses and N-fixing statuses. • AM fungal community composition differed in relation to all studied plant functional groups. Grasses, C₄ and nonruderal plants were characterised by high AM fungal alpha diversity, while C₄, ruderal and obligately mycorrhizal plants were characterised by high beta diversity. The phylogenetic diversity of AM fungi, a potential surrogate for functional diversity, was higher among forbs than other plant growth forms. Putatively ruderal (previously cultured) AM fungi were disproportionately associated with forbs and ruderal plants. There was phylogenetic correlation among AM fungi in the degree of association with different plant growth forms and photosynthetic pathways. • Associated AM fungal communities constitute an important component of plant ecological strategies. Functionally different plants associate with distinct AM fungal communities, linking mycorrhizal associations with functional diversity in ecosystems.

• Publisher: Wiley,Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subject: arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis / Arbuscular mycorrhizas / Community composition / community structure / Ecosystem / ecosystems / Forbs / functional diversity / Functional groups / functional properties / functional traits / fungal communities / Fungi / grasses / growth form / high-throughput nucleotide sequencing / Mycobiome / Mycorrhizae / mycorrhizal fungi / Photosynthesis / photosynthetic pathway / Phylogenetics / Phylogeny / Plant communities / Plant growth / plant mycorrhizal status / Plant Roots / Plants / Soil Microbiology / species diversity / SSU rRNA gene / strategy type / Symbiosis / vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizae