Plant host and soil origin influence fungal and bacterial assemblages in the roots of woody plants.
Journal Article (Journal Article)
Microbial communities in plant roots provide critical links between above- and belowground processes in terrestrial ecosystems. Variation in root communities has been attributed to plant host effects and microbial host preferences, as well as to factors pertaining to soil conditions, microbial biogeography and the presence of viable microbial propagules. To address hypotheses regarding the influence of plant host and soil biogeography on root fungal and bacterial communities, we designed a trap-plant bioassay experiment. Replicate Populus, Quercus and Pinus plants were grown in three soils originating from alternate field sites. Fungal and bacterial community profiles in the root of each replicate were assessed through multiplex 454 amplicon sequencing of four loci (i.e., 16S, SSU, ITS, LSU rDNA). Soil origin had a larger effect on fungal community composition than did host species, but the opposite was true for bacterial communities. Populus hosted the highest diversity of rhizospheric fungi and bacteria. Root communities on Quercus and Pinus were more similar to each other than to Populus. Overall, fungal root symbionts appear to be more constrained by dispersal and biogeography than by host availability.
Full Text
Duke Authors
Cited Authors
- Bonito, G; Reynolds, H; Robeson, MS; Nelson, J; Hodkinson, BP; Tuskan, G; Schadt, CW; Vilgalys, R
Published Date
- July 2014
Published In
Volume / Issue
- 23 / 13
Start / End Page
- 3356 - 3370
PubMed ID
- 24894495
Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)
- 1365-294X
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
- 0962-1083
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
- 10.1111/mec.12821
Language
- eng