Predicting community and ecosystem outcomes of mycorrhizal responses to global change

Abstract

Mycorrhizal symbioses link the biosphere with the lithosphere by mediating nutrient cycles and energy flow though terrestrial ecosystems. A more mechanistic understanding of these plant-fungal associations may help ameliorate anthropogenic changes to C and N cycles and biotic communities. We explore three interacting principles: (1) optimal allocation, (2) biotic context and (3) fungal adaptability that may help predict mycorrhizal responses to carbon dioxide enrichment, nitrogen eutrophication, invasive species and land-use changes. Plant-microbial feedbacks and thresholds are discussed in light of these principles with the goal of generating testable hypotheses. Ideas to develop large-scale collaborative research efforts are presented. It is our hope that mycorrhizal symbioses can be effectively integrated into global change models and eventually their ecology will be understood well enough so that they can be managed to help offset some of the detrimental effects of anthropogenic environmental change.

Host plant physiology and mycorrhizal functioning shift across a glacial through future CO2 gradient

“…In our system, shifts in the functioning of mycorrhizal associations with rising [CO 2 ] could alter plant-soil feedbacks (PSF; Mangan et al, 2010;Bever et al, 2012) that influence invasive plant dynamics (Johnson et al, 2013). PSF can facilitate the spread of invasive plants if the invader disrupts positive PSF in the native community (Callaway et al, 2008) or if the invader experiences positive PSF itself (Zhang et al, 2010;Hayward et al, 2015).…”

Rapid genotypic change and plasticity in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi is caused by a host shift and enhanced by segregation

“…This is the only study that we know of that highlights the role of AMF genetics as a potential mechanism for wide plasticity and adaptation of AMF to changing environments. Understanding how these abundant and ecologically important components of terrestrial ecosystems react to rapid environmental change may help to avoid adverse outcomes in the future (Johnson et al, 2013). Consequently, we hope this work will stimulate research in this area.…”

Strong effect of climate on ectomycorrhizal fungal composition: evidence from range overlap between two mountains

“…Temperate and boreal forests, which cover B14% of the land surface (FAO, 2012), harbor hundreds of taxonomically and functionally diverse EM fungi (Read and PerezMoreno, 2003;Tedersoo et al, 2010;Koide et al, 2014). Recent environmental change may have altered fungal communities, which would subsequently affect the associated plant communities and ecosystem functioning (Parrent et al, 2006;Johnson et al, 2013;Dickie et al, 2014). Clarifying the drivers of the community structure of EM fungi is critical for predicting the effects of environmental change on forest ecosystems from local to global contexts (Lilleskov and Parrent, 2007).…”