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Wang, D.; Trimbos, K.B.; Fernandes Gomes, S.I.; Jacquemyn, H.; Merckx, V.S.F.T. 2024

Metabarcoding read abundances of orchid mycorrhizal fungi are correlated to copy numbers estimated using ddPCR

Article / Letter to editor

open access

Laughlin, D.C.; Siefert, A.; Fleri, J.; Tumber-Dávila, S.J.; Hammond, W.; Sabatini, F.M.; ... ; Bruelheide, H. 2023

Rooting depth and xylem vulnerability are independent woody plant traits jointly selected by aridity, seasonality, and water table depth

Article / Letter to editor

open access

Evolutionary radiations of woody taxa within arid environments were made possible by multiple trait innovations including deep roots and embolism-resistant xylem, but little is known about how... Show moreEvolutionary radiations of woody taxa within arid environments were made possible by multiple trait innovations including deep roots and embolism-resistant xylem, but little is known about how these traits have coevolved across the phylogeny of woody plants or how they jointly influence the distribution of species. We synthesized global trait and vegetation plot datasets to examine how rooting depth and xylem vulnerability across 188 woody plant species interact with aridity, precipitation seasonality, and water table depth to influence species occurrence probabilities across all biomes. Xylem resistance to embolism and rooting depth are independent woody plant traits that do not exhibit an interspecific trade-off. Resistant xylem and deep roots increase occurrence probabilities in arid, seasonal climates over deep water tables. Resistant xylem and shallow roots increase occurrence probabilities in arid, nonseasonal climates over deep water tables. Vulnerable xylem and deep roots increase occurrence probabilities in arid, nonseasonal climates over shallow water tables. Lastly, vulnerable xylem and shallow roots increase occurrence probabilities in humid climates. Each combination of trait values optimizes occurrence probabilities in unique environmental conditions. Responses of deeply rooted vegetation may be buffered if evaporative demand changes faster than water table depth under climate change. Show less

Lens, F.P.; Gleason, S.M.; Bortolami, G.; Brodersen, C.; Delzon, S.; Jansen, S. 2022

Functional xylem characteristics associated with drought‐induced embolism in angiosperms

Article / Letter to editor

open access

Hydraulic failure resulting from drought-induced embolism in the xylem of plants is a key determinant of reduced productivity and mortality. Methods to assess this vulnerability are difficult to... Show moreHydraulic failure resulting from drought-induced embolism in the xylem of plants is a key determinant of reduced productivity and mortality. Methods to assess this vulnerability are difficult to achieve at scale, leading to alternative metrics and correlations with more easily measured traits. These efforts have led to the longstanding and pervasive assumed mechanistic link between vessel diameter and vulnerability in angiosperms. However, there are at least two problems with this assumption that requires critical re-evaluation: (1) our current understanding of drought-induced embolism does not provide a mechanistic explanation why increased vessel width should lead to greater vulnerability, and (2) the most recent advancements in nanoscale embolism processes suggest that vessel diameter is not a direct driver. Here, we review data from physiological and comparative wood anatomy studies, highlighting the potential anatomical and physicochemical drivers of embolism formation and spread. We then put forward key knowledge gaps, emphasising what is known, unknown and speculation. A meaningful evaluation of the diameter–vulnerability link will require a better mechanistic understanding of the biophysical processes at the nanoscale level that determine embolism formation and spread, which will in turn lead to more accurate predictions of how water transport in plants is affected by drought. Show less

Fernandes Gomes, S.I.; Fortuna, M.A.; Bascompte, J.; Merckx, V.S.F.T. 2022

Mycoheterotrophic plants preferentially target arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi that are highly connected to autotrophic plants

Article / Letter to editor

open access

How mycoheterotrophic plants that obtain carbon and soil nutrients from fungi are integrated in the usually mutualistic arbuscular mycorrhizal networks is unknown. Here, we compare autotrophic and... Show moreHow mycoheterotrophic plants that obtain carbon and soil nutrients from fungi are integrated in the usually mutualistic arbuscular mycorrhizal networks is unknown. Here, we compare autotrophic and mycoheterotrophic plant associations with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and use network analysis to investigate interaction preferences in the tripartite network. We sequenced root tips from autotrophic and mycoheterotrophic plants to assemble the combined tripartite network between autotrophic plants, mycorrhizal fungi and mycoheterotrophic plants. We compared plant-fungi interactions between mutualistic and antagonist networks, and searched for a diamond-like module defined by a mycoheterotrophic and an autotrophic plant interacting with the same pair of fungi to investigate whether pairs of fungi simultaneously linked to plant species from each interaction type were overrepresented throughout the network. Mycoheterotrophic plants as a group interacted with a subset of the fungi detected in autotrophs but are indirectly linked to all autotrophic plants, and fungi with a high overlap in autotrophic partners tended to interact with a similar set of mycoheterotrophs. Moreover, pairs of fungi sharing the same mycoheterotrophic and autotrophic plant species are overrepresented in the network. We hypothesise that the maintenance of antagonistic interactions is maximised by targeting well linked mutualistic fungi, thereby minimising the risk of carbon supply shortages. Show less

Rahimi, A.; Karami, O.; Balazadeh, S.; Offringa, R. 2022

miR156‐independent repression of the ageing pathway by longevity‐promoting AHL proteins in Arabidopsis

Article / Letter to editor

open access

Plants age by developmental phase changes. In Arabidopsis, the juvenile to adult vegetative phase change (VPC) is marked by clear heteroblastic changes in leaves. VPC and the subsequent vegetative... Show morePlants age by developmental phase changes. In Arabidopsis, the juvenile to adult vegetative phase change (VPC) is marked by clear heteroblastic changes in leaves. VPC and the subsequent vegetative to reproductive phase change are promoted by SQUAMOSA PROMOTOR BINDING PROTEIN-LIKE (SPL) transcription factors and repressed by miR156/157 targeting SPL transcripts. By genetic, phenotypic, and gene expression analyses, we studied the role of the longevity-promoting AT-HOOK MOTIF NUCLEAR LOCALIZED 15 (AHL15) and family members in SPL-driven plant ageing. Arabidopsis ahl loss-of-function mutants showed accelerated VPC and flowering, whereas AHL15 overexpression delayed these phase changes. Expression analysis and tissue-specific AHL15 overexpression revealed that AHL15 affects VPC and flowering time directly through its expression in the shoot apical meristem and young leaves, and that AHL15 represses SPL2/9/13/15 gene expression in a miR156/157-independent manner. The juvenile traits of spl loss-of-function mutants appeared to depend on enhanced expression of the AHL15 gene, whereas SPL activity prevented vegetative growth from axillary meristem by repressing AHL15 expression. Our results place AHL15 and close family members together with SPLs in a reciprocal regulatory feedback loop that modulates VPC, flowering time, and axillary meristem development in response to both internal and external signals. Show less

Angulo, V.; Beriot, N.; Garcia-Hernandez, E.; Li, E.Q.; Masteling Pereira, R.; Lau, J.A. 2022

Plant-microbe eco-evolutionary dynamics in a changing world

Article / Letter to editor

metadata only

Both plants and their associated microbiomes can respond strongly to anthropogenic environmental changes. These responses can be both ecological (e.g. a global change affecting plant demography or... Show moreBoth plants and their associated microbiomes can respond strongly to anthropogenic environmental changes. These responses can be both ecological (e.g. a global change affecting plant demography or microbial community composition) and evolutionary (e.g. a global change altering natural selection on plant or microbial populations). As a result, global changes can catalyse eco-evolutionary feedbacks. Here, we take a plant-focused perspective to discuss how microbes mediate plant ecological responses to global change and how these ecological effects can influence plant evolutionary response to global change. We argue that the strong and functionally important relationships between plants and their associated microbes are particularly likely to result in eco-evolutionary feedbacks when perturbed by global changes and discuss how improved understanding of plant-microbe eco-evolutionary dynamics could inform conservation or even agriculture. Show less

Zhou, J.; Cieraad, E.; Bodegom, P.M. van 2021

Global analysis of trait–trait relationships within and between species

Article / Letter to editor

open access

Inderjit; Simberloff, D.; Kaur, H.; Kalisz, S.; Bezemer, T.M. 2021

Novel chemicals engender myriad invasion mechanisms

Article / Letter to editor

open access

Non-native invasive species (NIS) release chemicals into the environment that are unique to the invaded communities, defined as novel chemicals. Novel chemicals impact competitors, soil microbial... Show moreNon-native invasive species (NIS) release chemicals into the environment that are unique to the invaded communities, defined as novel chemicals. Novel chemicals impact competitors, soil microbial communities, mutualists, plant enemies, and soil nutrients differently than in the species' native range. Ecological functions of novel chemicals and differences in functions between the native and non-native ranges of NIS are of immense interest to ecologists. Novel chemicals can mediate different ecological, physiological, and evolutionary mechanisms underlying invasion hypotheses. Interactions amongst the NIS and resident species including competitors, soil microbes, and plant enemies, as well as abiotic factors in the invaded community are linked to novel chemicals. However, we poorly understand how these interactions might enhance NIS performance. New empirical data and analyses of how novel chemicals act in the invaded community will fill major gaps in our understanding of the chemistry of biological invasions. A novel chemical-invasion mechanism framework shows how novel chemicals engender invasion mechanisms beyond plant-plant or plant-microorganism interactions. Show less

Soudzilovskaia, N.A.; Vaessen, S.; Barcelo, M.; He, J.; Rahimlou, S.; Abarenkov, K.; ... ; Tedersoo, L. 2020

FungalRoot: global online database of plant mycorrhizal associations

Article / Letter to editor

open access

Testing of ecological, biogeographic and phylogenetic hypotheses of mycorrhizal traits requires a comprehensive reference data set about plant mycorrhizal associations. Here we present a database,... Show moreTesting of ecological, biogeographic and phylogenetic hypotheses of mycorrhizal traits requires a comprehensive reference data set about plant mycorrhizal associations. Here we present a database, FungalRoot, which summarizes publicly available data about vascular plant mycorrhizal type and intensity of root colonization by mycorrhizal fungi, accompanied with rich meta-data. We compiled and digitized data about plant mycorrhizal colonization in nine wide-spread languages. The present version of the FungalRoot database contains 36,303 species-by-site observations for 14,870 plant species, tripling the previously available compiled information about plant mycorrhizal associations. Based on these data, we provide a recommended list of genus-level plant mycorrhizal associations, based on the majority of data for species and careful analysis of conflicting data. The majority of ectomycorrhizal and ericoid mycorrhizal plants are trees (92%) and shrubs (85%), respectively. The majority of arbuscular and non-mycorrhizal plant species are herbaceous (50% and 70%, respectively). Our publicly available database is a powerful resource for mycorrhizal scientists and ecologists. It features possibilities for dynamic updating and addition of data about plant mycorrhizal associations. The new database will promote research on plant and fungal biogeography and evolution, and on links between above- and belowground biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Show less

Pineda, A.; Kaplan, I.; Hannula, S.E.; Ghanem, W.; Bezemer, T.M. 2019

Conditioning the soil microbiome through plant–soil feedbacks suppresses an aboveground insect pest

Article / Letter to editor

open access

Devkar, V.; Thirumalaikumar, V.P.; Xue, G.-P.; Vallarino, J.G.; Turečková, V.; Strnad, M.; ... ; Balazadeh, S. 2019

Multifaceted regulatory function of tomato SlTAF1 in the response to salinity stress

Article / Letter to editor

open access

Mencuccini, M.; Rosa, T.; Rowland, L.; Choat, B.; Cornelissen, H.; Jansen, S.; ... ; Martinez-Vilalta, J. 2019

Leaf economics and plant hydraulics drive leaf : wood area ratios

Article / Letter to editor

open access

Biomass and area ratios between leaves, stems and roots regulate many physiological and ecological processes. The Huber value H-v (sapwood area/leaf area ratio) is central to plant water balance... Show moreBiomass and area ratios between leaves, stems and roots regulate many physiological and ecological processes. The Huber value H-v (sapwood area/leaf area ratio) is central to plant water balance and drought responses. However, its coordination with key plant functional traits is poorly understood, and prevents developing trait-based prediction models. Based on theoretical arguments, we hypothesise that global patterns in H-v of terminal woody branches can be predicted from variables related to plant trait spectra, that is plant hydraulics and size and leaf economics. Using a global compilation of 1135 species-averaged H-v, we show that H-v varies over three orders of magnitude. Higher H-v are seen in short small-leaved low-specific leaf area (SLA) shrubs with low K-s in arid relative to tall large-leaved high-SLA trees with high K-s in moist environments. All traits depend on climate but climatic correlations are stronger for explanatory traits than H-v. Negative isometry is found between H-v and K-s, suggesting a compensation to maintain hydraulic supply to leaves across species. This work identifies the major global drivers of branch sapwood/leaf area ratios. Our approach based on widely available traits facilitates the development of accurate models of above-ground biomass allocation and helps predict vegetation responses to drought. Show less

Gomes, S.I.F.; Bodegom, P.M. van; Merckx, V.S.F.T.; Soudzilovskaia, N.A. 2019

Environmental drivers for cheaters of arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis in tropical rainforests

Article / Letter to editor

open access

Hundreds of nonphotosynthetic mycoheterotrophic plant species cheat the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis. Their patchy local occurrence suggests constraints by biotic and abiotic factors, among...

Hundreds of nonphotosynthetic mycoheterotrophic plant species cheat the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis. Their patchy local occurrence suggests constraints by biotic and abiotic factors, among which the role of soil chemistry and nutrient status has not been investigated.
Here, we examine the edaphic drivers predicting the local‐scale distribution of mycoheterotrophic plants in two lowland rainforests in South America. We compared soil chemistry and nutrient status in plots where mycoheterotrophic plants were present with those without these plants.
Soil pH, soil nitrate, and the interaction between soil potassium and nitrate concentrations were the best predictors for the occurrence of mycoheterotrophic plants in these tropical rainforests. Mycoheterotrophic plant occurrences decreased with a rise in each of these predictors. This indicates that these plants are associated with low‐fertility patches. Such low‐fertility conditions coincide with conditions that potentially favour a weak mutualism between plants and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi according to the trade balance model.
Our study points out which soil properties favour the cheating of arbuscular mycorrhizal networks in tropical forests. The patchy occurrence of mycoheterotrophic plants suggests that local soil heterogeneity causes the stability of arbuscular mycorrhizal networks to vary at a very small scale.

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Zhang, X.; Hooykaas, P.J.J. 2019

The Agrobacterium VirD5 protein hyperactivates the mitotic Aurora kinase in host cells

Article / Letter to editor

open access

Wang, M.; Ruan, W.; Kostenko, O.; Carvalho, S.; Hannula, S.E.; Mulder, P.P.J.; ... ; Bezemer, T.M. 2018

Removal of soil biota alters soil feedback effects on plant growth and defense chemistry

Article / Letter to editor

open access

Walker, A.P.; Quaife, T.; Bodegom, P.M. van; Kauwe, M.G. de; Keenan, T.F.; Joiner, J.; ... ; Woodward, F.I. 2017

The impact of alternative trait‐scaling hypotheses for the maximum photosynthetic carboxylation rate (Vcmax) on global gross primary production

Article / Letter to editor

open access

Cornelissen, J.H.C.; Grootemaat, S.; Verheijen, L.M.; Cornwell, W.K.; Bodegom, P.M. van; Wal, R. van der; Aerts, R. 2017

Tansley review: are litter decomposition and fire linked through plant species traits?

Article / Letter to editor

open access

Perez-Escobar, O.A.; Chomicki, G.; Condamine, F.L.; Karremans, A.P.; Bogarin Chaves, D.; Matzke, N.J.; ... ; Antonelli, A. 2017

Recent origin and rapid speciation of Neotropical orchids in the world's richest plant biodiversity hotspot

Article / Letter to editor

open access

Iversen, C.M.; McCormack, M.L.; Powell, A.S.; Blackwood, C.B.; Freschet, G.T.; Kattge, J.; ... ; Violle, C. 2017

A global Fine-Root Ecology Database to address below-ground challenges in plant ecology

Article / Letter to editor

open access

Fernandes Gomes, S.I.; Aguirre Gutierrez, J.; Bidartondo, M.I.; Merckx, V.S.F.T. 2016

Arbuscular mycorrhizal interactions of mycoheterotrophic Thismia are more specialized than in autotrophic plants

Article / Letter to editor

open access

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