Plant Species Complementarity in Low-Fertility Degraded Soil

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the compatibility of plants with contrasting root systems, in terms of procurement of limiting soil nutrients. Paired combinations of species of proteas and grasses were grown in a pot experiment using soil from a site with impoverished vegetation and degraded soil. The soil contained sufficient N but was low to deficient in P, Mn, S, Fe, and B. The uptake of chemical elements into the foliage differed significantly according to whether the plants were growing as single or mixed species. When two species of Grevillea and grasses with evolutionary origins in low fertility soils were growing together, there was an enhanced uptake of P and Mn, in one or both species, in addition to other elements that were in low concentrations in the experimental soil. In contrast to this, Protea neriifolia that probably originated from a more fertile soil procured lesser amounts of the six elements from the soil when growing together with grasses. Two grasses tolerant of less fertile soils (Dactylis glomerata and Poa cita) obtained more nutrients when they grew together with proteas; this was a much stronger neighbour effect than was measured in Lolium perenne which is better adapted to high fertility soils. The findings illustrate both the functional compatibility and competition for plant nutrients in mixed-species rhizospheres. Species combinations substantially increased the acquisition of key elements from the soil nutrient pool.

An Assessment of the Suitability of Contrasting Biosolids for Raising Indigenous Plants in Nurseries

“…For the other species, C. cheesemanii and P. cita, there is no record of studies using organic amendments with these plants, and there is a lack of knowledge about their nutrient requirements. Their non-significant response to the amendments may be due to the plants being naturally adapted to low fertility environments [69,70]. Other indigenous NZ plants that did not respond to biosolids in previous studies [39] include Phormium cookianum Ozothamnus leptophyllus, Coprosma acerosa, and V. salicifolia, which had no significant biomass increase when biosolids were incorporated into two low-fertility soils, an Orthic brown soil and sand [39].…”

Application of Multi-Plant Symbiotic Systems in Phytoremediation: A Bibliometric Review

“…Studies have shown that nutrients may be a major limiting factor for species coexistence and plant productivity in polluted environments [86,103]. However, plant assemblages can increase the ability of each species to obtain key elements from the soil nutrient pool [104]. Thus, when ecological niche overlap among plants is high (e.g., Zea mays and Suaeda saltbush I [16], Solanum melongena and Sedum alfredii [52]), it will increase nutrient competition among species and weaken the facilitative effect of plant combination cropping systems.…”