Tree species mixing causes a shift in fine‐root soil exploitation strategies across European forests

Wambsganss, Janna; Freschet, Grégoire T.; Beyer, Friderike; Goldmann, Kezia; Prada-Salcedo, Luis Daniel; Scherer‐Lorenzen, Michael; Bauhus, Jürgen

doi:10.1111/1365-2435.13856

Cited by 20 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 107 publications

(209 reference statements)

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“…This fundamental divergence implies contrasting influences of mycorrhizal type on root economics. For example, while a trade‐off between mycorrhizal colonization intensity and mean root diameter has been clearly established for AM species, such evidence is scarce for ECM species (Kong et al ., 2014; Bergmann et al ., 2020; Wambsganss et al ., 2021). As such, it has been hypothesized instead that a higher branching intensity (BI, i.e.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mycorrhizal symbiosis pathway and edaphic fertility frame root economics space among tree species

et al. 2022

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The root economics space (RES) is multidimensional and largely shaped by belowground biotic and abiotic influences. However, how root-fungal symbioses and edaphic fertility drive this complexity remains unclear.Here, we measured absorptive root traits of 112 tree species in temperate and subtropical forests of China, including traits linked to functional differences between arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) and ectomycorrhizal (ECM) hosts.Our data, from known mycorrhizal tree species, revealed a 'fungal-symbiosis' dimension distinguishing AM from ECM species. This divergence likely resulted from the contrasting mycorrhizal evolutionary development of AM vs ECM associations. Increased root tissue cortical space facilitates AM symbiosis, whereas increased root branching favours ECM symbiosis. Irrespective of mycorrhizal type, a 'root-lifespan' dimension reflecting aspects of root construction cost and defence was controlled by variation in specific root length and root tissue density, which was fully independent of root nitrogen content. Within this function-based RES, we observed a substantial covariation of axes with soil phosphorus and nitrate levels, highlighting the role played by these two axes in nutrient acquisition and conservation.Overall, our findings demonstrate the importance of evolved mycorrhizal symbiosis pathway and edaphic fertility in framing the RES, and provide theoretical and mechanistic insights into the complexity of root economics.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mycorrhizal symbiosis pathway and edaphic fertility frame root economics space among tree species

et al. 2022

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“…Similarly, growth of a seedling that has regenerated below an established canopy of larger trees will be restricted by shading and below-ground competition of the bigger trees; its subsequent performance will then be influenced by this as well as by its shade tolerance characteristics. There are numerous studies of intra-and inter-specific interactions in these more complex forests (Biging and Dobbertin 1995;Vettenranta 1999;Uriarte et al 2004a,b;Canham et al 2004Canham et al , 2006Dolezal et al 2009;Forrester et al 2011;del Rió et al 2016;Quiñonez-Barraza et al 2018;Zambrano et al 2019Zambrano et al , 2020Bongers 2020;Trogisch et al 2021;Wambsganss et al 2021;Bi et al 2022). That of Coates et al (2009) for mixed hardwood and softwood species of British Columbia, Canada, suggested that below-ground competitive processes tended to be appreciably more important in affecting growth than did above ground shading effects (their Fig.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Quantifying effects on tree growth rates of symmetric and asymmetric inter-tree competition in even-aged, monoculture Eucalyptus pilularis forests

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2022

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Key message In even-aged, monoculture eucalypt forest, symmetric inter-tree competition was far more important in determining tree growth rates than asymmetric competition. Tree size principally determined competitive ability at any time. Abstract In even-aged, monoculture forests, individual tree growth rates are much affected by the amount of the resources required for growth (particularly light, water and nutrients) that are available to them from the site on which they are growing. In turn, those amounts are much affected by competition for them between neighbouring trees. Competition may be ‘symmetric’, when tree growth rates are directly proportional to tree sizes, or ‘asymmetric’ when growth rates vary disproportionately with tree sizes. Using a large data set from blackbutt (Eucalyptus pilularis Smith) forests of sub-tropical eastern Australia, methods were devised to quantify the effects of symmetric and asymmetric competition; they were determined as the change each causes in individual tree growth rates over growth periods of a few years. It was found that symmetric competition was by far the principal determinant of tree growth rates. Asymmetric competition had much lesser effects, but was sufficient to alter substantially the development with age of the frequency distribution of tree sizes. It is concluded that the size of a tree at any time is the principal determinant of both its metabolic capabilities for growth and its competitive status and, hence, its growth rate.

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“…For example, a recent study in a controlled biodiversity experiment suggests that the increased diversity effects on productivity over time may attribute to the increased dominance of arbuscular mycorrhizae trees in species mixture (Deng et al, 2023). When productivity increases with time and diversity, plant communities likely adjust their nutrient acquisition strategies via root morphology plasticity or mycorrhizal colonization (Wambsganss, Freschet, et al, 2021). Since a trade‐off exists between carbon investment in root growth and mycorrhizal symbiosis (Bergmann et al, 2020), we speculate that the observed positive mixture effect on fine root length may to some extent related to the effects of mycorrhizal colonization.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Species mixtures increase fine root length to support greater stand productivity in a natural boreal forest

et al. 2023

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Species mixtures have been widely reported to increase aboveground productivity; however, how tree species mixtures affect root systems in natural forests remains unclear. We hypothesize that mixtures have a greater fine root length compared to single species‐dominated stands to support their greater productivity. Here, we collected monthly root images from the minirhizotrons installed in 18 stands either dominated by Populus tremuloides, Pinus banksiana, and their mixtures for three years (2015–2017) in post‐fire boreal forests of two stand ages (8 and 34 years old) to test our hypotheses. We found that the fine root length was higher in mixtures than in single species‐dominated stands, and the magnitude of mixture effects was greater in the 34‐ than in the 8‐year‐old stands in the third year. The mixture effects on fine root length revealed a positive relationship with forest net primary productivity. Root length production, which is the growth of new roots within a year, was not affected by tree species mixtures except for the 8‐year‐old stand in 2015. Tree species mixtures did not affect root length turnover. Root length and root biomass were not significantly correlated at stand level. Synthesis. Our results show that tree species mixtures positively affect fine root length, with that positive effect increasing with stand development in the studied natural forests. Our results suggest that the greater root length in species mixtures supported the greater forest productivity in species mixtures as the greater root length benefits plant uptake of nutrients and water. Therefore, conserving tree species diversity has implications for improving forest productivity and carbon sequestration in forest ecosystems.

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Tree species mixing causes a shift in fine‐root soil exploitation strategies across European forests

Abstract: This article has been accepted for publication and undergone full peer review but has not been through the copyediting, typesetting, pagination and proofreading process, which may lead to differences between this version and the Version of Record. Please cite this article as

Cited by 20 publications

References 107 publications

Mycorrhizal symbiosis pathway and edaphic fertility frame root economics space among tree species

Mycorrhizal symbiosis pathway and edaphic fertility frame root economics space among tree species

Quantifying effects on tree growth rates of symmetric and asymmetric inter-tree competition in even-aged, monoculture Eucalyptus pilularis forests

Species mixtures increase fine root length to support greater stand productivity in a natural boreal forest

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