Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi alleviate the negative effects of increases in phosphorus (P) resource diversity on plant community structure by improving P resource utilization

• Published in: Plant and soil Vol. 461; no. 1-2; pp. 295 - 307
• Main Authors: Zhang, Tao, Feng, Gu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.04.2021; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Arbuscular mycorrhizas; Biodiversity; Biological diversity; Biomass; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Community composition; Community structure; Composition; Ecology; Environmental aspects; Flowers & plants; Fungi; Life Sciences; Multivariate statistical analysis; Mycorrhizas; Nutrient uptake; Nutrient utilization; Phosphorus; Phosphorus in the body; Plant communities; Plant diversity; Plant Physiology; Plant Sciences; Plant species; Planting density; Productivity; Regular Article; Resource utilization; Soil Science & Conservation; Soils; Species diversity; China; Facilitation; Resource composition; Biodiversity; Plant‐soil interaction; Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi; Ecosystem stability
• ISSN: 0032-079X; 1573-5036
• DOI: 10.1007/s11104-020-04825-5

Background and aims Nutrient resource utilization is essential for plant community composition and productivity. Previous studies found that an increase in resource diversity causes species losses and reduces plant diversity. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi can increase plant productivity and nutrient uptake, however, whether AM fungi can reduce the negative influence of nutrient resource diversity on plant composition is still not well understood. Methods A microcosm experiment was conducted with four phosphorus (P) sources (at five levels of P resource diversity) and two AM fungal species, and the plant community composition, aboveground biomass, and P content were measured and calculated. Results Plant species diversity and richness decreased with increasing soil P resource diversity in the absence of AM fungi, while the decrease was less when AM fungi were present. The biomass and P content of the aboveground plants increased with increasing AM fungal diversity and soil P resource diversity. The results of a structural equation model suggest that AM fungi could reduce the negative effects of increasing P resource diversity on plant community composition by improving plant density and P uptake. Conclusions Our results indicate that AM fungi can maintain higher plant species diversity and increase plant productivity by increasing P resource utilization efficiency.