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Root biomass and exudates link plant diversity with soil bacterial and fungal biomass.
- Source :
-
Scientific reports [Sci Rep] 2017 Apr 04; Vol. 7, pp. 44641. Date of Electronic Publication: 2017 Apr 04. - Publication Year :
- 2017
-
Abstract
- Plant diversity has been shown to determine the composition and functioning of soil biota. Although root-derived organic inputs are discussed as the main drivers of soil communities, experimental evidence is scarce. While there is some evidence that higher root biomass at high plant diversity increases substrate availability for soil biota, several studies have speculated that the quantity and diversity of root inputs into the soil, i.e. though root exudates, drive plant diversity effects on soil biota. Here we used a microcosm experiment to study the role of plant species richness on the biomass of soil bacteria and fungi as well as fungal-to-bacterial ratio via root biomass and root exudates. Plant diversity significantly increased shoot biomass, root biomass, the amount of root exudates, bacterial biomass, and fungal biomass. Fungal biomass increased most with increasing plant diversity resulting in a significant shift in the fungal-to-bacterial biomass ratio at high plant diversity. Fungal biomass increased significantly with plant diversity-induced increases in root biomass and the amount of root exudates. These results suggest that plant diversity enhances soil microbial biomass, particularly soil fungi, by increasing root-derived organic inputs.
- Subjects :
- Bacteria classification
Benzaldehydes isolation & purification
Benzaldehydes metabolism
Biomass
Carboxylic Acids isolation & purification
Carboxylic Acids metabolism
Fungi classification
Glucosides isolation & purification
Glucosides metabolism
Microbial Consortia physiology
Plant Roots microbiology
Plant Roots physiology
Poaceae classification
Poaceae physiology
Stilbenes isolation & purification
Symbiosis physiology
Bacteria isolation & purification
Biodiversity
Fungi isolation & purification
Poaceae microbiology
Soil chemistry
Soil Microbiology
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 2045-2322
- Volume :
- 7
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Scientific reports
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 28374800
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1038/srep44641