Journal
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
Volume 123, Issue -, Pages 409-415Publisher
ELSEVIER
DOI: 10.1016/j.apsoil.2017.10.028
Keywords
Aboveground-belowground interactions; Coevolution; Soil organisms; Hormone; Plant fitness; Signal molecules
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
What we call humus is a huge collection of organic molecules, among which physiologically active compounds with important ecological roles can be found. These molecules are produced by soil organisms and plants. Soil organisms physically associated with plants such as some bacteria are well known for their effects on plants through signal molecules inducing changes in plant hormone signaling pathways and growth. It has been recently shown that soil animals such as earthworms, which live in the bulk soil without physical contact with plant roots, are also able to modify plant development, immunity and growth through signal molecules. Modification of plant growth and fitness through the emission of signal molecules is in fact a general mechanism in the aboveground-belowground interactions. Plants also produce root exsudates among which many molecules are interpreted as signals by soil organisms. Because of this reciprocal signal emission and subsequent adaptations with important consequences on plants and soil organisms' fitness, I propose that coevolution exist between plants and soil organisms.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available