Is nitrogen transfer among plants enhanced by contrasting nutrient-acquisition strategies?

Nitrogen (N) transfer among plants has been found where at least one plant can fix N2. In nutrient-poor soils, where plants with contrasting nutrient-acquisition strategies (without N2 fixation) co-occur, it is unclear if N transfer exists and what promotes it. A novel multi-species microcosm pot ex...

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Main Authors: Teste, F., Veneklaas, E., Dixon, Kingsley, Lambers, H.
Format: Journal Article
Published: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd. 2015
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/46041
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author Teste, F.
Veneklaas, E.
Dixon, Kingsley
Lambers, H.
author_facet Teste, F.
Veneklaas, E.
Dixon, Kingsley
Lambers, H.
author_sort Teste, F.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Nitrogen (N) transfer among plants has been found where at least one plant can fix N2. In nutrient-poor soils, where plants with contrasting nutrient-acquisition strategies (without N2 fixation) co-occur, it is unclear if N transfer exists and what promotes it. A novel multi-species microcosm pot experiment was conducted to quantify N transfer between arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM), ectomycorrhizal (EM), dual AM/EM, and non-mycorrhizal cluster-rooted plants in nutrient-poor soils with mycorrhizal mesh barriers. We foliarfed plants with a K15NO3 solution to quantify one-way N transfer from ‘donor’ to ‘receiver’ plants. We also quantified mycorrhizal colonization and root intermingling. Transfer of N between plants with contrasting nutrient-acquisition strategies occurred at both low and high soil nutrient levels with or without root intermingling. The magnitude of N transfer was relatively high (representing 4% of donor plant N) given the lack of N2 fixation. Receiver plants forming ectomycorrhizas or cluster roots were more enriched compared with AM-only plants. We demonstrate N transfer between plants of contrasting nutrient-acquisition strategies, and a preferential enrichment of cluster-rooted and EM plants compared with AM plants. Nutrient exchanges among plants are potentially important in promoting plant coexistence in nutrient-poor soils.
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format Journal Article
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institution Curtin University Malaysia
institution_category Local University
last_indexed 2025-11-14T09:28:17Z
publishDate 2015
publisher Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-460412017-10-02T02:28:05Z Is nitrogen transfer among plants enhanced by contrasting nutrient-acquisition strategies? Teste, F. Veneklaas, E. Dixon, Kingsley Lambers, H. ectomycorrhiza biodiversity - mycorrhizal networks isotope 15N plant coexistence arbuscular mycorrhiza cluster roots ecological restoration Nitrogen (N) transfer among plants has been found where at least one plant can fix N2. In nutrient-poor soils, where plants with contrasting nutrient-acquisition strategies (without N2 fixation) co-occur, it is unclear if N transfer exists and what promotes it. A novel multi-species microcosm pot experiment was conducted to quantify N transfer between arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM), ectomycorrhizal (EM), dual AM/EM, and non-mycorrhizal cluster-rooted plants in nutrient-poor soils with mycorrhizal mesh barriers. We foliarfed plants with a K15NO3 solution to quantify one-way N transfer from ‘donor’ to ‘receiver’ plants. We also quantified mycorrhizal colonization and root intermingling. Transfer of N between plants with contrasting nutrient-acquisition strategies occurred at both low and high soil nutrient levels with or without root intermingling. The magnitude of N transfer was relatively high (representing 4% of donor plant N) given the lack of N2 fixation. Receiver plants forming ectomycorrhizas or cluster roots were more enriched compared with AM-only plants. We demonstrate N transfer between plants of contrasting nutrient-acquisition strategies, and a preferential enrichment of cluster-rooted and EM plants compared with AM plants. Nutrient exchanges among plants are potentially important in promoting plant coexistence in nutrient-poor soils. 2015 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/46041 10.1111/pce.12367 Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd. restricted
spellingShingle ectomycorrhiza
biodiversity
- mycorrhizal networks
isotope 15N
plant coexistence
arbuscular mycorrhiza
cluster roots
ecological restoration
Teste, F.
Veneklaas, E.
Dixon, Kingsley
Lambers, H.
Is nitrogen transfer among plants enhanced by contrasting nutrient-acquisition strategies?
title Is nitrogen transfer among plants enhanced by contrasting nutrient-acquisition strategies?
title_full Is nitrogen transfer among plants enhanced by contrasting nutrient-acquisition strategies?
title_fullStr Is nitrogen transfer among plants enhanced by contrasting nutrient-acquisition strategies?
title_full_unstemmed Is nitrogen transfer among plants enhanced by contrasting nutrient-acquisition strategies?
title_short Is nitrogen transfer among plants enhanced by contrasting nutrient-acquisition strategies?
title_sort is nitrogen transfer among plants enhanced by contrasting nutrient-acquisition strategies?
topic ectomycorrhiza
biodiversity
- mycorrhizal networks
isotope 15N
plant coexistence
arbuscular mycorrhiza
cluster roots
ecological restoration
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/46041