Journal
NEW PHYTOLOGIST
Volume 226, Issue 4, Pages 1117-1128Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1111/nph.16423
Keywords
arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis; functional traits; growth form; plant mycorrhizal status; photosynthetic pathway; SSU rRNA gene; strategy type
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Funding
- Estonian Research Council [IUT 20-28]
- European Regional Development Fund (Centre of Excellence EcolChange)
- ERA-NET Cofund BiodivERsA3 (SoilMan)
- University of Alcala [2018-T2/BIO-10995]
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The benefits of the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis between plants and fungi are modulated by the functional characteristics of both partners. However, it is unknown to what extent functionally distinct groups of plants naturally associate with different AM fungi. We reanalysed 14 high-throughput sequencing data sets describing AM fungal communities associating with plant individuals (2427) belonging to 297 species. We examined how root-associating AM fungal communities varied between plants with different growth forms, photosynthetic pathways, CSR (competitor, stress-tolerator, ruderal) strategies, mycorrhizal statuses and N-fixing statuses. AM fungal community composition differed in relation to all studied plant functional groups. Grasses, C-4 and nonruderal plants were characterised by high AM fungal alpha diversity, while C-4, ruderal and obligately mycorrhizal plants were characterised by high beta diversity. The phylogenetic diversity of AM fungi, a potential surrogate for functional diversity, was higher among forbs than other plant growth forms. Putatively ruderal (previously cultured) AM fungi were disproportionately associated with forbs and ruderal plants. There was phylogenetic correlation among AM fungi in the degree of association with different plant growth forms and photosynthetic pathways. Associated AM fungal communities constitute an important component of plant ecological strategies. Functionally different plants associate with distinct AM fungal communities, linking mycorrhizal associations with functional diversity in ecosystems.
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