We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
The relative importance of intraspecific variation in above- and belowground plant traits in shaping salt marsh soil bacterial diversity and composition.
- Authors
Liu, Hao; Zhu, Ting; Xu, Xiao; Yao, Jia; Zhou, Chenhao; Wu, Jihua; Li, Bo; Nie, Ming
- Abstract
Purpose: Species differences in plant traits have been critical for a mechanistic understanding of the distribution of soil microbial communities, but less attention has been placed on the role of trait variation within species. Here, we tested the importance of intraspecific variation in the above- and belowground traits in explaining soil bacterial diversity and community composition. Methods: We conducted a field survey across two kinds of salt marshes (Spartina alterniflora and Phragmites australis) along China's coastal wetlands to examine whether intraspecific variation in above- and belowground traits influences the soil bacterial diversity and community composition. Results: We found that after accounting for the effects of climatic, spatial, and soil factors, intraspecific variation in aboveground traits significantly predicted a unique portion of the variation in soil bacterial community composition (S. alterniflora: 1.8%; P. australis: 1.8%) but did not affect bacterial diversity. Belowground traits significantly affected bacterial diversity (S. alterniflora: 9.4% Shannon index and 3.1% OTU richness; P. australis: 2.1% Shannon index and 4.1% OTU richness), but their effects on community composition were weak. Structural equation models further showed that aboveground traits (e.g., stem height and leaf biomass) exerted stronger effects on bacterial community composition, while belowground traits (e.g., root biomass, root nitrogen concentration, and rhizome carbon concentration) had stronger effects on bacterial diversity. Conclusion: Our findings provide empirical evidence that intraspecific trait variation affects soil microbial diversity and community composition, highlighting the need to integrate intraspecific trait variation for a more predictive understanding of belowground biodiversity and ecosystem processes.
- Subjects
CHINA; BACTERIAL diversity; SALT marshes; WETLAND soils; SOIL composition; SOIL salinity; MICROBIAL diversity; STRUCTURAL equation modeling; COASTAL wetlands
- Publication
Plant & Soil, 2022, Vol 474, Issue 1/2, p125
- ISSN
0032-079X
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s11104-022-05320-9