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ARS Home » Plains Area » Fort Collins, Colorado » Center for Agricultural Resources Research » Water Management and Systems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #344631
Research Project: Improving the Sustainability of Irrigated Farming Systems in Semi-Arid Regions

Location: Water Management and Systems Research

Title: Exploring plant root traits and fungal interactions governing plant community structure: Re-focusing long standing questions.

Author
item Comas, Louise

Submitted to: New Phytologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/10/2017
Publication Date: 10/7/2017
Citation: Comas, L.H. 2017. Exploring plant root traits and fungal interactions governing plant community structure: Re-focusing long standing questions. New Phytologist. 216:963-964.

Interpretive Summary: Resource availability has long been recognized for playing a major role in structuring plant communities. Nonetheless, a functional understanding of root traits and interactions with soil organisms involved in acquiring those resources has largely remained out of focus and outside mainstream ecology. We now have evidence that increases in root branching and mycorrhizal colonization corresponds with increased moisture availability. We have additional evidence that greater plasticity in root traits is associated with a greater range of success across multiple environments. The ‘black box’ of belowground strategies continues to open as efforts looking at root and fungal co-evolution advance and belowground plant traits are recognized for their important role in governing plant success as well as impacts on ecosystem functioning.

Technical Abstract: Resource availability has long been recognized for playing a major role in structuring plant communities. Nonetheless, a functional understanding of root traits and interactions with soil organisms involved in acquiring those resources has largely remained out of focus and outside mainstream ecology. We now have evidence that root branching and mycorrhizal colonization varies positively with moisture availability and additional evidence that greater plasticity in root traits is positively associated with a greater range of success across multiple habitats. The ‘black box’ of belowground strategies continues to open as efforts looking at root and fungal co-evolution advance and belowground plant traits are recognized for their important role in governing plant success as well as impacts on ecosystem functioning.