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1. Soortenrijke grasbekleding : Voortgangsrapportage Thema 2 van Kennis- en innovatieproject HWBP Future Dikes

Author

Visser, E.J.W., Huls, S., Visser, E.J.W., and Huls, S.

Abstract

In dit rapport wordt een overzicht gegeven van de proeven die zijn uitgevoerd op de Radboud Universiteit in Nijmegen in het kader van thema 2 van het project Future Dikes. Hierin worden innovatieve zaadmengsels ontwikkeld die een snelle sluiting en een goede doorworteling van de zode geven, en potentieel een betere droogtetolerantie hebben dan traditionele grasbekleding. Achtereenvolgens zijn in potproeven, mesocosms en proeftuinexperimenten de ontwikkeling van individuele plantensoorten en gemeenschappen van plantensoorten onderzocht, waarbij een sterke nadruk ligt op wat er zich onder de grond afspeelt. De wortelstelsels van planten dragen namelijk in belangrijke mate bij aan hoe de bodem zich gedraagt bij erosie door water of tijdens droogte. Door de ontwikkeling van bovengrondse biomassa van individuele soorten te relateren aan de ondergrondse biomassa die daarmee gevormd wordt, kan inzicht worden verkregen hoeveel wortels in de bodem aanwezig zijn. Bovendien is onderzocht welke plantensoorten dieper wortelen, en of deze bewortelingsdiepte beïnvloed wordt door andere plantensoorten die in de buurt groeien.

Published
2024

3. Leading trait dimensions in flood-tolerant plants

Author

Pan, Y., Cieraad, E., Armstrong, J., Armstrong, W., Clarkson, B., Pedersen, O., Visser, E.J.W., Voesenek, L.A.C.J., Bodegom, P.M. Van, Pan, Y., Cieraad, E., Armstrong, J., Armstrong, W., Clarkson, B., Pedersen, O., Visser, E.J.W., Voesenek, L.A.C.J., and Bodegom, P.M. Van

Abstract

Contains fulltext : 282682.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access)

Published
2022

5. msGBS: A new high-throughput approach to quantify the relative species abundance in root samples of multispecies plant communities

Author

Wagemaker, C. A. M., Mommer, L., Visser, E.J.W., Weigelt, A., Gurp, T.P. van, Postuma, M., Smit-Tiekstra, A. E., de Kroon, H., Wagemaker, C. A. M., Mommer, L., Visser, E.J.W., Weigelt, A., Gurp, T.P. van, Postuma, M., Smit-Tiekstra, A. E., and de Kroon, H.

Abstract

29 maart 2021, Contains fulltext : 232281.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access)

Published
2021

7. Global patterns of the leaf economics spectrum in wetlands

Author

Pan, Y., Cieraad, E., Armstrong, J., Armstrong, W., Clarkson, B.R., Colmer, T.D., Pedersen, O., Visser, E.J.W., Voesenek, L.A.C.J., Bodegom, P.M. Van, Pan, Y., Cieraad, E., Armstrong, J., Armstrong, W., Clarkson, B.R., Colmer, T.D., Pedersen, O., Visser, E.J.W., Voesenek, L.A.C.J., and Bodegom, P.M. Van

Abstract

Contains fulltext : 226771.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)

Published
2020

8. De dijk als habitat voor bloemen en wilde bijen

Author

Swinkels, C., Liebrand, C., Rooijen, N. van, Visser, E.J.W., de Kroon, H., Swinkels, C., Liebrand, C., Rooijen, N. van, Visser, E.J.W., and de Kroon, H.

Abstract

Contains fulltext : 229137.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)

Published
2020

9. Local soil legacy effects in a multispecies grassland community are underlain by root foraging and soil nutrient availability

Author

Zandt, D. in 't, Hoekstra, N.J., Wagemaker, C.A.M., Caluwe, H. de, Smit-Tiekstra, A.E., Visser, E.J.W., de Kroon, H., Zandt, D. in 't, Hoekstra, N.J., Wagemaker, C.A.M., Caluwe, H. de, Smit-Tiekstra, A.E., Visser, E.J.W., and de Kroon, H.

Abstract

Contains fulltext : 225690.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access), Plant-soil legacies consisting of species-specific microbial communities are hypothesized to play a critical, structuring role in plant species coexistence processes. Plant species are thought to perform worse on soil conditioned by the same species compared to soil of other species, which serves as a self-limitation mechanism and averts monodominance of strong competitors. Here, we test in a multispecies community setting, whether root colonization and resource utilization of soil patches with distinct soil legacies are consistent with this hypothesis. We grew eight grassland species together in an outdoor mesocosm set-up in unconditioned soil and created soil patches in these communities conditioned by one of four plant species, or a soil mixture of all four. During two subsequent growing seasons, we tested the effect of these conditioned soil patches on below-ground root colonization into the patches of each surrounding plant species using a novel sequencing-based approach. In addition, we tested the effect of soil conditioning on local root functioning by injecting tracers into the soil patches and measuring the recovery in above-ground biomass. Against expectations, plant species did not place less roots in own soil patches compared to foreign soil patches, nor did species take up less tracer from own compared to foreign soil patches. Using structural equation modelling, we found that tracer uptake of the plant species was to a varying degree explained by root densities in the various soil patches and by differing soil nutrient availability of the soil patches. We conclude that soil legacy effects are inextricably connected to soil nutrient availability, which needs to be taken into account in plant-soil feedback research to understand the processes that shape plant communities. Synthesis. We found that soil legacy effects in complex, multispecies semi-field conditions did not match expectations based on theory and experiments in controlled conditions.

Published
2020

11. Drivers of plant traits that allow survival in wetlands

Author

Cieraad, E., Clarkson, B., Colmer, T., Pedersen, O., Visser, E.J.W., Voesenek, L.A.C.J., Cieraad, E., Clarkson, B., Colmer, T., Pedersen, O., Visser, E.J.W., and Voesenek, L.A.C.J.

Abstract

Contains fulltext : 224840.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)

Published
2020

13. Gras- en Kleibekleding: Rapportage Fase C. Deel 1 van 3

Author

Schippers, M., Hoven, A van, Kroon, J.C.J.M. de, Rooijen, N.M. van, Visser, E.J.W., Grashof-Bokdam, C.J., van der Zee, F.F., and Frissel, J.Y.

Subjects
Plant Ecology
Abstract

Contains fulltext : 215045.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access) 96 p.

Published
2019

14. Grass-clover mixtures: benefits for arable and livestock farms and biodiversity

Author

Hoekstra, N.J., Haas, B.R. de, Schoot, J.R. van der, Visser, E.J.W., Kroon, J.C.J.M. de, Eekeren, N. van, Huguenin-Elie, O., and Huguenin-Elie, O.

Subjects
Plant Ecology, Biodiversity and ecosystem services, Farm nutrient management
Abstract

Introduction: Grass-clover mixtures show many benefits for sustainable agriculture. In the Netherlands, organic arable and livestock farmers often work together in a so-called partner farm concept: the arable farms grow one-year grass-clover leys to widen their crop rotation and as fodder for a livestock farm in exchange for manure. The aim of this research was to investigate the effect of different grass-clover mixtures and monocultures in a one-year ley on both aboveground and belowground parameters in light of the benefits of the ley for livestock farms, arable farms and biodiversity

Published
2019

15. Grass-clover mixtures: benefits for arable and livestock farms and biodiversity

Author

Huguenin-Elie, O., Hoekstra, N.J., Haas, B.R. de, Schoot, J.R. van der, Visser, E.J.W., Kroon, J.C.J.M. de, Eekeren, N. van, Huguenin-Elie, O., Hoekstra, N.J., Haas, B.R. de, Schoot, J.R. van der, Visser, E.J.W., Kroon, J.C.J.M. de, and Eekeren, N. van

Abstract

EGF EUCARPIA Joint symposium, 24 juni 2019, Contains fulltext : 215046.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)

Published
2019

17. Herbaceous plant species invading natural areas tend to have stronger adaptive root foraging than other naturalized species

Author

Keser, L.H., Visser, E.J.W., Dawson, W., Song, Y.B., Yu, F.H., Fischer, M., Dong, M., and Kleunen, M. van

Subjects
Plant Ecology, GeneralLiterature_REFERENCE(e.g.,dictionaries,encyclopedias,glossaries)
Abstract

Although plastic root-foraging responses are thought to be adaptive, as they may optimize nutrient capture of plants, this has rarely been tested. We investigated whether nutrient-foraging responses are adaptive, and whether they pre-adapt alien species to become natural-area invaders. We grew 12 pairs of congeneric species (i.e., 24 species) native to Europe in heterogeneous and homogeneous nutrient environments, and compared their foraging responses and performance. One species in each pair is a USA natural-area invader, and the other one is not. Within species, individuals with strong foraging responses, measured as plasticity in root diameter and specific root length, had a higher biomass. Among species, the ones with strong foraging responses, measured as plasticity in root length and root biomass, had a higher biomass. Our results therefore suggest that root foraging is an adaptive trait. Invasive species showed significantly stronger root-foraging responses than non-invasive species when measured as root diameter. Biomass accumulation was decreased in the heterogeneous vs. the homogeneous environment. In aboveground, but not belowground and total biomass, this decrease was smaller in invasive than in non-invasive species. Our results show that strong plastic root-foraging responses are adaptive, and suggest that it might aid in pre-adapting species to becoming natural-area invaders.

Published
2015

20. Plants are less negatively affected by flooding when growing in species-rich plant communities

Author

Wright, A.J., de Kroon, H., Visser, E.J.W., Buchmann, T., Ebeling, A., Eisenhauer, N., Fischer, C., Hildebrandt, A., Ravenek, J.M., Roscher, C., Weigelt, A., Weisser, W., Voesenek, L.A.C.J., Mommer, L., Wright, A.J., de Kroon, H., Visser, E.J.W., Buchmann, T., Ebeling, A., Eisenhauer, N., Fischer, C., Hildebrandt, A., Ravenek, J.M., Roscher, C., Weigelt, A., Weisser, W., Voesenek, L.A.C.J., and Mommer, L.

Abstract

Contains fulltext : 166382.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access)

Published
2017

22. Hormone Signaling in Adventitious Root Formation in Solanum dulcamara

Author

Mariani, C., Rieu, I., Visser, E.J.W., Yang, X., Mariani, C., Rieu, I., Visser, E.J.W., and Yang, X.

Abstract

Radboud University, 27 november 2017, Promotor : Mariani, C. Co-promotores : Rieu, I., Visser, E.J.W., Contains fulltext : 178612.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access), Plants are constantly subjected to environmental stresses, among which flooding is one of the most severe due to its increasing occurrence and the increasingly large area affected. Flooding causes devastating damage to global agricultural production. Therefore, it is of great practical significance to understand plant response to flooding, with the hope to provide useful insights for breeders and maintain crop performance under less predictable climatic conditions. Adventitious root (AR) formation is a characteristic adaptation to flooding. These de-novo formed roots can sustain plants with nutrients, water and oxygen supply, therefore enabling them to survive under flooding. In this thesis, we build hormonal signaling models which regulate AR formation under two different water regimes, partial and complete submergence in Solanum dulcamara. Evidences from both physiological and molecular analysis revealed that ethylene and abscisic acid (ABA) are antagonistically involved in the biological processes related partial-flooding induced AR formation. ABA INSENSITIVE5 (ABI5), a core transcription factor in ABA signaling pathway, was found to negatively modulate AR outgrowth, possibly by mediating plants’ hypoxia response. Auxin presence and proper signaling are necessary for AR outgrowth in both partially and completely submerged S. dulcamara plants. Overall, These results provides novel insights to understand plant responses to environmental factors.

Published
2017

23. Soil type determines how root and rhizosphere traits relate to phosphorus acquisition in field-grown maize genotypes

Author

Erel, R., Berard, A., Capowiez, L., Doussan, C., Arnal, D., Souche, G., Gavaland, A., Fritz, C., Visser, E.J.W., Salvi, S., Le Marie, C., Hund, A., Hinsinger, P., Erel, R., Berard, A., Capowiez, L., Doussan, C., Arnal, D., Souche, G., Gavaland, A., Fritz, C., Visser, E.J.W., Salvi, S., Le Marie, C., Hund, A., and Hinsinger, P.

Abstract

Contains fulltext : 175481.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access)

Published
2017

26. Community recommendations on terminology and procedures used in flooding and low oxygen stress research

Author

Sasidharan, R., Bailey-Serres, J., Ashikari, M., Atwell, B.J., Colmer, T.D., Fagerstedt, K., Fukao, T., Geigenberger, P., Hebelstrup, K.H., Hill, R.D., Holdsworth, M.J., Ismail, A.M., Licausi, F., Mustroph, A., Nakazono, M., Pedersen, O., Perata, P., Sauter, M., Shih, M.C., Sorrell, B.K., Striker, G.G., van Dongen, J.T., Whelan, J., Xiao, S., Visser, E.J.W., Voesenek, L., Sasidharan, R., Bailey-Serres, J., Ashikari, M., Atwell, B.J., Colmer, T.D., Fagerstedt, K., Fukao, T., Geigenberger, P., Hebelstrup, K.H., Hill, R.D., Holdsworth, M.J., Ismail, A.M., Licausi, F., Mustroph, A., Nakazono, M., Pedersen, O., Perata, P., Sauter, M., Shih, M.C., Sorrell, B.K., Striker, G.G., van Dongen, J.T., Whelan, J., Xiao, S., Visser, E.J.W., and Voesenek, L.

Abstract

Contains fulltext : 175490.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access)

Published
2017

29. A Co-Opted Hormonal Cascade Activates Dormant Adventitious Root Primordia upon Flooding in Solanum dulcamara

Author

Dawood, T., Yang, X., Visser, E.J.W., Te Beek, T.A.H., Kensche, P.R, Cristescu, S.M., Lee, S., Flokova, K., Nguyen, D., Mariani, C., Rieu, I., Dawood, T., Yang, X., Visser, E.J.W., Te Beek, T.A.H., Kensche, P.R, Cristescu, S.M., Lee, S., Flokova, K., Nguyen, D., Mariani, C., and Rieu, I.

Abstract

Contains fulltext : 158864.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)

Published
2016

31. Towards a multidimensional root trait framework: a tree root review

Author

Weemstra, M., Mommer, L., Visser, E.J.W., Ruijven, J. van, Kuyper, T.W., Mohren, G.M.J., Sterck, F.J., Weemstra, M., Mommer, L., Visser, E.J.W., Ruijven, J. van, Kuyper, T.W., Mohren, G.M.J., and Sterck, F.J.

Abstract

Item does not contain fulltext

Published
2016

32. Linking root traits and competitive success in grassland species

Author

Ravenek, J.M., Mommer, L., Visser, E.J.W., van Ruijven, J., van der Paauw, J.W., Smit-Tiekstra, A., Caluwe, H. de, de Kroon, H., Ravenek, J.M., Mommer, L., Visser, E.J.W., van Ruijven, J., van der Paauw, J.W., Smit-Tiekstra, A., Caluwe, H. de, and de Kroon, H.

Abstract

Contains fulltext : 163318.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)

Published
2016

34. Drought and flooding have distinct effects on herbivore-induced responses and resistance in Solanum dulcamara

Author

Nguyen, D., D'Agostino, N., Tytgat, T.O.G., Sun, P., Lortzing, T., Visser, E.J.W., Cristescu, S.M., Steppuhn, A., Mariani, C., Dam, N.M. van, Rieu, I., Nguyen, D., D'Agostino, N., Tytgat, T.O.G., Sun, P., Lortzing, T., Visser, E.J.W., Cristescu, S.M., Steppuhn, A., Mariani, C., Dam, N.M. van, and Rieu, I.

Abstract

Contains fulltext : 161988.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access)

Published
2016

38. Plants are less negatively affected by flooding when growing in species-rich plant communities

Author

Wright, A.J., de Kroon, H., Visser, E.J.W., Buchmann, Tina, Ebeling, A., Eisenhauer, N., Fischer, Christine, Hildebrandt, A., Ravenek, J., Roscher, Christiane, Weigelt, A., Weisser, W., Voesenek, L.A.C.J., Mommer, L., Wright, A.J., de Kroon, H., Visser, E.J.W., Buchmann, Tina, Ebeling, A., Eisenhauer, N., Fischer, Christine, Hildebrandt, A., Ravenek, J., Roscher, Christiane, Weigelt, A., Weisser, W., Voesenek, L.A.C.J., and Mommer, L.

Abstract

Flooding is expected to increase in frequency and severity in the future. The ecological consequences of flooding are the combined result of species-specific plant traits and ecological context. However, the majority of past flooding research has focused on individual model species under highly controlled conditions.An early summer flooding event in a grassland biodiversity experiment in Jena, Germany, provided the opportunity to assess flooding responses of 60 grassland species in monocultures and 16-species mixtures. We examined plant biomass, species-specific traits (plant height, specific leaf area (SLA), root aerenchyma, starch content) and soil porosity.We found that, on average, plant species were less negatively affected by the flood when grown in higher-diversity plots in July 2013. By September 2013, grasses were unaffected by the flood regardless of plant diversity, and legumes were severely negatively affected regardless of plant diversity. Plants with greater SLA and more root aerenchyma performed better in September. Soil porosity was higher in higher-diversity plots and had a positive effect on plant performance.As floods become more frequent and severe in the future, growing flood-sensitive plants in higher-diversity communities and in soil with greater soil aeration may attenuate the most negative effects of flooding.

Published
2016

39. De invloed van vegetatie op de erosiebestendigheid van dijken : de start van een monitoringsexperiment naar de effecten van de vegetatiesamenstelling op de erosiebestendigheid van de Purmerringdijk

Author

Reijers, V.C., Visser, E.J.W., Paulissen, M.P.C.P., and de Kroon, H.

Subjects
safety, erosion control, sward renovation, Regional Development and Spatial Use, veiligheid, Regionale Ontwikkeling en Ruimtegebruik, noord-holland, dijken, erosiebestrijding, kwaliteitsnormen, rassenkeuze (gewassen), grasmatverbetering, choice of varieties, dykes, quality standards
Abstract

Met het oog op klimaatverandering, waardoor zowel zeer droge als zeer natte perioden een grotere druk leggen op de conditie en kwaliteit van dijkgraslanden, is het zaak om experimenteel te onderzoeken welke rol de vegetatiesamenstelling heeft op de erosiebestendigheid. Door de geschiktheid van zowel gangbare als nieuwe zaadmengsels te testen en de huidige toetsingsmethoden te evalueren, kunnen de resultaten van dit onderzoek bijdragen aan toekomstige richtlijnen voor aanleg, beheer en toetsing van dijkgraslanden.

Published
2014

41. Root responses of grassland species to spatial heterogeneity of plant-soil feedback

Author

Hendriks, M., Visser, E.J.W., Visschers, I.G.S., Aarts, B.H.J., Caluwe, H. de, Smit-Tiekstra, A.E., Putten, W.H. van der, Kroon, H. de, Mommer, L., Hendriks, M., Visser, E.J.W., Visschers, I.G.S., Aarts, B.H.J., Caluwe, H. de, Smit-Tiekstra, A.E., Putten, W.H. van der, Kroon, H. de, and Mommer, L.

Abstract

Contains fulltext : 140050.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access)

Published
2015

46. Root competition: towards a mechanistic understanding

Author

Kroon, J.C.J.M. de, Mommer, L., Nishiwaki, A., Visser, E.J.W., Kroon, J.C.J.M. de, and Visser, E.J.W.

Subjects
Root (linguistics), Ecology, media_common.quotation_subject, Plant Ecology, Ecological Studies, Biophysics, Biology, Competition (biology), Field conditions, media_common
Abstract

Current evidence suggests that competition belowground is a ubiquitous phenomenon in many natural and semi-natural types of vegetation. In reviewing 23 studies that separated root and shoot competition under controlled conditions, Wilson (1988) found that root competition was usually the more intense form of interaction. Even in relatively productive soils where plants produce large canopies and competition for light may be expected to be an important factor, root interactions may still play a significant role. Several studies (Belcher et al. 1995; Gerry and Wilson 1995; Cahill 1999) have confirmed the significance of belowground interactions in competition under field conditions.

Published
2003

47. Shade tolerance: when growing tall is not an option

Author

Gommers, C.M.M., Visser, E.J.W., St Onge, K.R., Voesenek, L.A.C.J., Pierik, R., Plant Ecophysiology, Sub Plant Ecophysiology, Faculteit Betawetenschappen, Plant Ecophysiology, Sub Plant Ecophysiology, and Faculteit Betawetenschappen

Subjects
Models, Molecular, Light Signal Transduction, Light, ComputingMethodologies_IMAGEPROCESSINGANDCOMPUTERVISION, Plant Development, Plant Science, Biology, Environment, GeneralLiterature_MISCELLANEOUS, Trees, Shade avoidance, Gene Expression Regulation, Plant, Plant strategies, Gene Regulatory Networks, Hardware_ARITHMETICANDLOGICSTRUCTURES, Shade tolerance, Plant Physiological Phenomena, ComputingMethodologies_COMPUTERGRAPHICS, Ecology, Plant Ecology, Plants, Adaptation, Physiological, Habitat, International, Adaptation
Abstract

Two different plant strategies exist to deal with shade: shade avoidance and shade tolerance. All shade-exposed plants optimize photosynthesis to adapt to the decrease in light quality and quantity. When shaded, most species in open habitats express the shade-avoidance syndrome, a growth response to escape shade. Shade-tolerant species from forest understories cannot outgrow surrounding trees and adopt a tolerance response. Unlike shade avoidance, virtually nothing is known about regulation of shade tolerance. In this opinion article, we discuss potential modes of molecular regulation to adopt a shade-tolerance rather than a shade-avoidance strategy. We argue that molecular approaches using model and non-model species should help identify the molecular pathways that underpin shade tolerance, thus providing knowledge for further crop improvement.

Published
2013
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48. Root plasticity maintains growth of temperate grassland species

Author

Padilla, F.M., Aarts, B.H.J., Roijendijk, Y.O.A., de Caluwe, H., Mommer, L., Visser, E.J.W., and de Kroon, H.

Subjects
plant functional traits, productivity, variability, rainfall, food and beverages, Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation, differentiation, precipitation, PE&RC, potential growth, gas-exchange, responses, Plantenecologie en Natuurbeheer, nutrient availability
Abstract

Background and aims The frequency of rain is predicted to change in high latitude areas with more precipitation in heavy, intense events interspersed by longer dry periods. These changes will modify soil drying cycles with unknown consequences for plant performance of temperate species. Methods We studied plant growth and root traits of juveniles of four grasses and four dicots growing in a greenhouse, when supplying the same total amount of water given either regular every other day or pulsed once a week. Results Pulsed water supply replenished soil moisture immediately after watering, but caused substantial drought stress at the end of the watering cycle, whereas regular watering caused more moderate but consistent drought. Grasses had lower water use efficiency in the pulsed watering compared to regular watering, whereas dicots showed no difference. Both grasses and dicots developed thinner roots, thus higher specific root length, and greater root length in the pulsed watering. Growth of dicots was slightly increased under pulsed watering. Conclusions Temperate species coped with pulsed water supply by eliciting two responses: i) persistent shoot growth, most likely by maximizing growth at peaks of soil moisture, thus compensating for slower growth during drought periods; ii) plasticity of root traits related to increased resource uptake. Both responses likely account for subtle improvement of growth under changed water supply conditions.

Published
2013

50. Root responses to nutrients and soil biota: drivers of species coexistence and ecosystem productivity

Author

de Kroon, H., Hendriks, M., van Ruijven, J., Ravenek, J., Padilla, F.M., Jongejans, E., Visser, E.J.W., and Mommer, L.

Subjects
grassland communities, Animal Ecology and Physiology, terrestrial biomes, Plant Ecology, interspecific competition, perennial grasses, food and beverages, Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation, PE&RC, phenotypic plasticity, plant diversity, niche differentiation, competitive hierarchies, functional composition, biodiversity experiments, Plantenecologie en Natuurbeheer, Environmental Sciences
Abstract

Summary 1. Although a major part of plant biomass is underground, we know little about the contribution of different species to root biomass in multispecies communities. We summarize studies on root dis- tributions and plant responses to species-specific soil biota and formulate three hypotheses to explain how root responses may drive species coexistence and ecosystem productivity. 2. Recent studies suggest that root growth of some species may be stimulated in species mixtures compared with monocultures without hampering the growth of other species, leading to below- ground overyielding. Further studies suggest that these responses are the result of reduced impair- ment of growth by species-specific plant pathogens that accumulate in monocultures. 3. First, we hypothesize that due to pathogen-constrained growth, monocultures are ‘under- rooted’, i.e. they do not have enough roots for optimal acquisition of nutrients. Although elevated root production in mixtures represents a cost to the plant, improved nutrition will eventually result in improved plant performance. 4. Second, due to the plant species specificity of the soil biotic communities, we suggest that plant species in mixtures develop an intransitive competitive network in which none of the species is competitively superior to all other species. Competitive intransitivity is proposed as a mechanismof species coexistence. 5. As a final hypothesis, we suggest that pathogen-mediated root overproduction in species mix- tures determines the patterns of community productivity and overyielding, both directly, by improving plant performance, and indirectly, by releasing more carbon into the soil, resulting in enhanced availability of nutrients. 6. Synthesis. Recent evidence suggests that species coexistence and ecosystem productivity may be the result of an interplay between pathogen-driven plant responses and nutritional consequences. We suggest that responses of the roots are an important yet mostly overlooked intermediary between soil biota and plant community responses to biodiversity. Key-words: biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, intransitive competition, niche differentia- tion, plant–soil (below-ground) interactions, root distributions, root ecology, soil nutrient availability, transgressiveoveryielding

Published
2012

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