Mycorrhizal features and leaf traits covary at the community level during primary succession

TY - JOUR

T1 - Mycorrhizal features and leaf traits covary at the community level during primary succession

AU - Jespersen, J. Rasmus P.

AU - Johansen, Jesper Liengaard

AU - Maciel Rabelo Pereira, Camilla

AU - Bruun, Hans Henrik

AU - Rosendahl, Søren

AU - Kjøller, Rasmus

AU - Lopez Garcia, Alvaro

PY - 2019/8

Y1 - 2019/8

N2 - The mycorrhizal association between fungi and plants is thought to be an important component of the functional diversity of plant communities, although evidence is weak. We explored community-level changes to mycorrhizal features and leaf traits along a primary successional gradient on a sedimentation coast. We found that community weighted mean values of mycorrhizal features and leaf traits varied systematically along the successional series, representing a transition from communities dominated by more stress-tolerant plant species (less mycorrhizal colonization and lower specific leaf area) to less stress-tolerant plant species (higher mycorrhizal colonization and specific leaf area). Despite the co-variation in leaf traits and mycorrhizal features at the community level, only mycorrhizal features showed an increasing functional diversity with successional age. These results suggest that mycorrhizal fungi should not be forgotten in trait-based plant community ecology.

AB - The mycorrhizal association between fungi and plants is thought to be an important component of the functional diversity of plant communities, although evidence is weak. We explored community-level changes to mycorrhizal features and leaf traits along a primary successional gradient on a sedimentation coast. We found that community weighted mean values of mycorrhizal features and leaf traits varied systematically along the successional series, representing a transition from communities dominated by more stress-tolerant plant species (less mycorrhizal colonization and lower specific leaf area) to less stress-tolerant plant species (higher mycorrhizal colonization and specific leaf area). Despite the co-variation in leaf traits and mycorrhizal features at the community level, only mycorrhizal features showed an increasing functional diversity with successional age. These results suggest that mycorrhizal fungi should not be forgotten in trait-based plant community ecology.

KW - Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

KW - Community assembly

KW - Ecosystem development

KW - Environmental filtering

KW - Life history traits

KW - Primary succession

KW - Sand dunes

KW - Symbiosis

U2 - 10.1016/j.funeco.2018.11.013

DO - 10.1016/j.funeco.2018.11.013

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85059076467

SN - 1754-5048

VL - 40

SP - 4

EP - 11

JO - Fungal Ecology

JF - Fungal Ecology

ER -