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Phylogenetic tree of fungi as constructed based on small subunit ribosomal sequences, with tree branching points referring to fungal fossils (letters a to e) and respective geological times indicated as numbers on the tree. From Redecker et al. (2000), Glomalean fungi from the Ordovician. Science 289:1920-1921. Reprinted with permission from AAAS. The triangles indicate that all fossils could also have been deposited later in the history of each clade, allowing the
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Soils are the product of the activities of plants, which supply organic matter and play a pivotal role in weathering rocks
and minerals. Many plant species have a distinct ecological amplitude that shows restriction to specific soil types. In the
numerous interactions between plants and soil, microorganisms also play a key role. Here we review the...
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... mycorrhizal fungi and N 2 -fixing microorganisms. The AM association represents an ancient symbiosis (Table 1), with fossil evidence dating back 400 million years ( Remy et al. 1994;Brundrett 2002) which has led to the idea that AM have contributed to the colonisation of terrestrial ecosystems by early land plants ( Redecker et al. 2000) (Fig. 5). The coevolution of mycorrhizal fungi and roots is now well established in the light of evidence from palaeobotanical, morphological studies and DNA-based phylogenies (Brundrett 2002). Dif- ferent types of mycorrhizas are recognised, the most common being arbuscular mycorrhizas, in which the fungi belong to the Glomeromycota ( Schüßler ...
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... In evolutionary times, it has been recognized that microorganisms appear and colonize the earth long before plants; therefore, since plants, whether aquatic or terrestrial, have emerged, their mutualistic or symbiotic relationships with their microbial companions, whether bacteria or fungi, have been close (Lambers et al. 2009). For example, the interactions between a wide variety of plant species and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) are of great symbiotic relevance because AMFs help plants improve their nutrition (as well as water use, growth, and adaptation to various stressful conditions). ...
Plants have microbial companions inhabiting a hidden world within their tissues that play relevant roles in their environmental fitness. Some of these beneficial microorganisms can colonize seeds by exerting a functional echo in future generations. In this study, we review the most recent advances in microbial endophytes residing in seeds and their ecological functions, including the reproductive stage, from germination to adulthood. Similar to free-living plant growth-promoting microorganisms, microbial endophytes, whether bacteria or fungi, exhibit similar direct (e.g., facilitation of resources and regulation of phytohormones) and indirect (e.g., antibiosis and induced systemic resistance) action mechanisms, which are also analyzed. Finally, some agro-biotechnological applications of microbial endophytes and their advantages of being inherited through seeds are discussed, such as facilitating their field application and ensuring that their beneficial actions increase crop health and sustainable production.
... For local microbial community that is relatively stable before critical disturbance, such as the vegetational pine-oak stands replacement, their representative community characteristics are recorded in the original soil where they resided (hereafter, the original soil). Although plant-microbe-soil interactions have been extensively studied (Lambers et al., 2009;Bakker et al., 2014), reciprocal transplantation of original soils in contrasting forest, and detailed investigation of microbial community composition, could be helpful for further understanding of the specificity of field-microbial associations. A theoretical relationship between soil organisms and plant has received much attention in the recent years, which is identified as the homefield advantage effect (HFA) in the litter decomposition (Gholz et al., 2000;Zhao et al., 2024;Zhu et al., 2024). ...
Plant–microbe–soil interactions control over the forest biogeochemical cycling. Adaptive plant–soil interactions can shape specific microbial taxa in determining the ecosystem functioning. Different trees produce heterogeneous soil properties and can alter the composition of soil microbial community, which is relevant to the forest internal succession containing contrasting stand types such as the pine-oak forests. Considering representative microbial community characteristics are recorded in the original soil where they had adapted and resided, we constructed a soil transplant incubation experiment in a series of in situ root-ingrowth cores in a subtropical pine-oak forest, to simulate the vegetational pine-oak replacement under environmental succession. The responsive bacterial and fungal community discrepancies were studied to determine whether and how they would be changed. The pine and oak forest stands had greater heterogeneity in fungi composition than bacteria. Original soil and specific tree root status were the main factors that determined microbial community structure. Internal association network characters and intergroup variations of fungi among soil samples were more affected by original soil, while bacteria were more affected by receiving forest. Specifically, dominant tree roots had strong influence in accelerating the fungi community succession to adapt with the surrounding forest. We concluded that soil microbial responses to forest stand alternation differed between microbiome groups, with fungi from their original forest possessing higher resistance to encounter a new vegetation stand, while the bacteria community have faster resilience. The data would advance our insight into local soil microbial community dynamics during ecosystem succession and be helpful to enlighten forest management.
... The functioning of living systems in nature is possible only on condition of active interaction with microbiota. Microorganisms play an essential role in numerous interactions between plants and soil (Lambers et al., 2009;Ma et al., 2022). This interaction is most typical in plant coenoses, which are characterized by a significant diversity of microbes in the soil and around the root system (Lynch, 1990;Torsvik et al., 1990). ...
The functioning of living organisms in nature is possible only due to active interaction with microbiota. It is typical for phytobionts, the microbial cenosis of which is even more diverse. Plants contribute to the spread of microorganisms in the rhizosphere by releasing root exudates. The chemical composition of these exudates varies in different plant species and depends on the significant number of factors that affect their growth and development. The components of the plant root exudates stimulate expansion in the rhizosphere of microorganisms, useful for the plant growth. This microbiota improves the mineral life of plants considerably, stimulating their growth with biologically active compounds, increasing the availability of a number of microelements for them, protecting the growth of plants from phytopathogens and phytophages. It provides significant stimulation for the growth and development of phytobionts. It has been shown that microbial groups in the rhizosphere can induce some changes in the composition of plant root exudates.
... The lower Mn contents in all fractions in the vineyard soils may occur because excess Cu and Zn can enhance the exudation of organic acids from plants, such as grapevines and cover crop species. In addition, plants can modify the pH of rhizosphere soil [63]. All of this can enhance the solubilization of compounds containing Mn in their composition. ...
This study aimed to evaluate Cu, Zn, and Mn fractions in vineyard soils in two important wine-growing regions in Latin America, which have soils with different soil organic matter (SOM) and clay contents. Soils were collected from vineyards aged 35, 37, and 39 years (Serra Gaúcha) and 13, 19, and 36 years (Campanha Gaúcha). In each region, soils were collected from a non-anthropized area, and in the oldest vineyards, the collection was conducted on and between the planting lines. The available and total Cu, Zn, and Mn contents were analyzed in addition to the chemical fractions. The ΔCu, ΔZn, and ΔMn were also calculated by subtracting the contents of each fraction of the vineyards from the reference areas. The use of fungicides promotes increased metal contents in vineyard soils. In soils with high SOM contents, Cu tended to increase in the organic fraction in surface and depth. In contrast, Zn increased in the residual fraction, and Mn increased in most bioavailable fractions. Cu and Zn increased their contents in soils with low SOM and clay contents in the organic and mineral fractions. Mn accumulated in the mineral and residual fractions.
... As the major biome for restoration, plantations foster a rich biodiversity of soil microbiota by providing conducive habitats (e.g., the rhizosphere), thus supporting high-level resistance and resilience to soil erosion [1,2]. Such capabilities largely hinge on the intricate biological interactions within and among plants and microbiota in the rhizosphere, notably involving fungal and bacterial symbiotic associations with plants [3][4][5]. However, the extent to which diverse rootassociated microbes and their interactions drive multiple basic ecosystem functions, known as multifunctionality, in plantations remains virtually unknown. ...
The role of diverse soil microbiota in restoring erosion‐induced degraded lands is well recognized. Yet, the facilitative interactions among symbiotic arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, rhizobia, and heterotrophic bacteria, which underpin multiple functions in eroded ecosystems, remain unclear. Here, we utilized quantitative microbiota profiling and ecological network analyses to explore the interplay between the diversity and biotic associations of root‐associated microbiota and multifunctionality across an eroded slope of a Robinia pseudoacacia plantation on the Loess Plateau. We found explicit variations in slope multifunctionality across different slope positions, associated with shifts in limiting resources, including soil phosphorus (P) and moisture. To cope with P limitation, AM fungi were recruited by R. pseudoacacia, assuming pivotal roles as keystones and connectors within cross‐kingdom networks. Furthermore, AM fungi facilitated the assembly and composition of bacterial and rhizobial communities, collectively driving slope multifunctionality. The symbiotic association among R. pseudoacacia, AM fungi, and rhizobia promoted slope multifunctionality through enhanced decomposition of recalcitrant compounds, improved P mineralization potential, and optimized microbial metabolism. Overall, our findings highlight the crucial role of AM fungal‐centered microbiota associated with R. pseudoacacia in functional delivery within eroded landscapes, providing valuable insights for the sustainable restoration of degraded ecosystems in erosion‐prone regions.
... This was consistent with most previous studies [14,[48][49][50], which indicated that when interspecific competition and environmental filtering simultaneously affect fine root traits, desert plant roots can adapt to highly heterogeneous desert soil environments through convergence or divergence of different traits. And the above results also revealed that plants long to adapt to environmental conditions and can form unique resource acquisition and survival strategies as a result of the mutual choices of the plant and the environment [51,52]. ...
The variation and correlation among desert plant traits are helpful to understanding the adaptation strategies of plants to the environment and the mechanism of community assembly. However, the diversity and covariation among fine root traits of desert plants and their phylogenetic relationships remain unclear. Principal component analysis, Pearson’s correlations, phylogenetic independent comparison, mixed linear model, and variance decomposition were used to investigate the variation and correlation among 10 fine root traits of 25 common desert plants in arid areas. The results are as follows: (1) We found that all fine root traits varied more among interspecific variation, with the coefficient of variation ranging from 21.83% to 105.79%. Most traits were predominantly shaped by interspecific variation, whereas root phosphorus content (RPC) and intraspecific variation in root carbon/nitrogen ratio (RCN) were more important. (2) Root traits were correlated with four axes of variation. Root nitrogen content (RNC) correlated positively with root diameter (AD) and tissue density (RTD) but negatively with specific root length (SRL), which was inconsistent with the inference of the root economics spectrum (RES). (3) Covariance and trade-off strategies of fine root traits in different life forms of plants were different. Herb RNC was negatively correlated with SRL and positively correlated with AD, while this relationship did not exist in shrubs. Moreover, shrub AD was negatively correlated with RTD, but herbs showed no significant correlation. (4) Influenced by phylogenetic factors, fine root traits exhibited a covariant or trade-off pattern. Taken together, fine root traits were predominantly shaped by interspecific variation, but intraspecific variation also played a significant role. Concurrently, distinct patterns in fine root covariation and trade-off strategies among different life forms of plants were also observed. Future studies should explore the variation and correlation among traits at different scales within and between species from the perspective of life form.
... In reciprocation, plants supply AMF with the necessary carbon sources for their growth and survival [26,27]. The enduring relationship between AMF and host plants, established over an extended period of evolution, is characterized as a well-established symbiotic association [15,28,29]. ...
In nature, plants frequently experience concurrent colonization with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and grass endophytes (Epichloë). These two fungi assist in mineral uptake and stress tolerance by the host. Despite the abundance of recent studies exploring the individual functions of these fungi in diverse ecosystems, research on the effects of the interaction between these two symbiotic fungi on the host, particularly in agricultural production and ecological conservation. This review provides an overview of the current knowledge regarding the interaction between AMF and grass endophytes and their synergistic effects on host plants in response to abiotic and biotic stress, while also outlining prospects for future research in this field. This knowledge not only enhances our comprehension of complex interaction effects between the two fungi, but also facilitates the optimal utilization of fungal resources, contributing to ecological construction and higher agricultural production.
... Toxic metals such as lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and zinc (Zn) are typically defined as trace metals that naturally occur at relatively low concentrations in the environment and can be toxic to living organisms (Smith and Huyck, 1997). Once metals are introduced into an environment, they are difficult to remove and can therefore become hazardous to organisms within the ecosystem (Lambers et al., 2009). The mobility and bioavailability of metals is influenced by a number of factors, including the concentration and speciation of the metal and the physicochemical status of the surrounding environment (Smith and Huyck, 1997;Ure, 1996;Williams et al., 1994). ...
... In addition, C4 plants produce a considerable amount of bioenergy, and are well adapted to hot and dry conditions. C4 plants also produce higher amounts of rhizodeposition as a substrate for the microorganisms near the root, enhancing the power regeneration in plant-based microbial fuel cells (PMFC) (Lambers et al., 2009;Sayed et al., 2021). C4 plants would be expected to have a higher rate of rhizo-deposits and consequently a higher power output when integrated into a PMFC. ...
Microbial Fuel Cells (MFC) can be fuelled using biomass derived from dead plant material and can operate on plant produced chemicals such as sugars, carbohydrates, polysaccharides and cellulose, as well as being “fed” on a regular diet of primary biomass from plants or algae. An even closer relationship can exist if algae (e.g., prokaryotic microalgae or eukaryotic and unicellular algae) can colonise the open to air cathode chambers of MFCs driving photosynthesis, producing a high redox gradient due to the oxygenic phase of collective algal cells. The hybrid system is symbiotic; the conditions within the cathodic chamber favour the growth of microalgae whilst the increased redox and production of oxygen by the algae, favour a more powerful cathode giving a higher maximum voltage and power to the photo-microbial fuel cell, which can ultimately be harvested for a range of end-user applications. MFCs can utilise a wide range of plant derived materials including detritus, plant composts, rhizodeposits, root exudates, dead or dying macro- or microalgae, via Soil-based Microbial Fuel Cells, Sediment Microbial Fuel Cells, Plant-based microbial fuel cells, floating artificial islands and constructed artificial wetlands. This review provides a perspective on this aspect of the technology as yet another attribute of the benevolent Bioelectrochemical Systems.
... In contrast, under low-light conditions, carbon allocation to growth is limited, leading to reduced nutrient mining and increased resource conservation. Here, plants may prioritize the storage of carbon and nutrients for future growth when light conditions become more favorable [18]. ...
Legumes are a diverse and important group of plants that play a vital role in agriculture, food security, and environmental sustainability. Rhizobia are symbiotic bacteria that form nitrogen- fixing nodules on legume roots, providing the plant with a valuable source of nitrogen. Phenolic acids are a group of secondary metabolites produced by plants that have a wide range of biological functions, including defense against pests and diseases, tolerance to abiotic stresses, and nutrient uptake. In the context of climate change and the imperative for sustainable agriculture, this study delves into the dynamic responses of legume species to varying light intensities and their intricate interactions with soil microorganisms. We investigated the impact of light intensity and rhizobial inoculation on the biomass, nitrate reductase, acid phosphatase, and production of phenolic acids in the roots of four legume species, Trifolium repens, Vicia sativa, Ornithopus compressus, and Coronilla juncea. Plants were grown under three light intensity regimes (low, medium, and high) and inoculated with either rhizobia or a non-inoculated control. The results highlight that shaded-light-adapted species, T. repens and V. sativa, increased root exudate production when exposed to high light intensity. This response aligns with their mining strategy, effectively allocating resources to optimize nutrient acquisition under varying conditions. In contrast, species hailing from well-illuminated environments, O. compressus and C. juncea, displayed distinct strategies by significantly increasing biomass under high irradiance, capitalizing on the available light and nutrients. The mining strategy of legumes emerged as a central theme, influencing biomass production, nitrogen dynamics, and enzymatic activities. The strong correlations between biomass and total nitrogen accumulation underscore the role of the mining strategy in efficient nutrient acquisition. Inoculated plants, which rely more on biological nitrogen fixation (BNF), exhibited lower δ15N values, indicative of a successful mining strategy to acquire and utilize atmospheric nitrogen. Enzymatic activities and phenolic acids exhibited significant interspecies variations, reflecting the adaptability of legumes to different light conditions. The findings of this study could be used to develop new strategies for improving legume stress tolerance, nutrient uptake capacity, and rhizosphere health.
