Soil fungal networks maintain local dominance of ectomycorrhizal trees

Associations with mycorrhizal fungi can affect the outcome of plant competition in complex ways. Here the authors use a decade-long field survey and two hyphal exclusion experiments to reveal a critical role of underground fungal networks in facilitating seedling growth and fitness of ectomycorrhiza...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Minxia Liang, David Johnson, David F. R. P. Burslem, Shixiao Yu, Miao Fang, Joe D. Taylor, Andy F. S. Taylor, Thorunn Helgason, Xubing Liu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Publishing Group 2020-05-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-16507-y
Description
Summary:Associations with mycorrhizal fungi can affect the outcome of plant competition in complex ways. Here the authors use a decade-long field survey and two hyphal exclusion experiments to reveal a critical role of underground fungal networks in facilitating seedling growth and fitness of ectomycorrhizal plants but not arbuscular mycorrhizal plants.
ISSN:2041-1723