Dataset Information

Range-expansion effects on the belowground plant microbiome.

ABSTRACT: Plant range expansion is occurring at a rapid pace, largely in response to human-induced climate warming. Although the movement of plants along latitudinal and altitudinal gradients is well-documented, effects on belowground microbial communities remain largely unknown. Furthermore, for range expansion, not all plant species are equal: in a new range, the relatedness between range-expanding plant species and native flora can influence plant-microorganism interactions. Here we use a latitudinal gradient spanning 3,000 km across Europe to examine bacterial and fungal communities in the rhizosphere and surrounding soils of range-expanding plant species. We selected range-expanding plants with and without congeneric native species in the new range and, as a control, the congeneric native species, totalling 382?plant individuals collected across Europe. In general, the status of a plant as a range-expanding plant was a weak predictor of the composition of bacterial and fungal communities. However, microbial communities of range-expanding plant species became more similar to each other further from their original range. Range-expanding plants that were unrelated to the native community also experienced a decrease in the ratio of plant pathogens to symbionts, giving weak support to the enemy release hypothesis. Even at a continental scale, the effects of plant range expansion on the belowground microbiome are detectable, although changes to specific taxa remain difficult to decipher.

SUBMITTER: Ramirez KS

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6443080 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Range-expansion effects on the belowground plant microbiome.

Ramirez Kelly S KS Snoek L Basten LB Koorem Kadri K Geisen Stefan S Bloem L Janneke LJ Ten Hooven Freddy F Kostenko Olga O Krigas Nikos N Manrubia Marta M Caković Danka D van Raaij Debbie D Tsiafouli Maria A MA Vreš Branko B Čelik Tatjana T Weser Carolin C Wilschut Rutger A RA van der Putten Wim H WH

Nature ecology & evolution 20190325 4

Plant range expansion is occurring at a rapid pace, largely in response to human-induced climate warming. Although the movement of plants along latitudinal and altitudinal gradients is well-documented, effects on belowground microbial communities remain largely unknown. Furthermore, for range expansion, not all plant species are equal: in a new range, the relatedness between range-expanding plant species and native flora can influence plant-microorganism interactions. Here we use a latitudinal g ...[more]

PMID: 30911144

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Range-expansion effects on the belowground plant microbiome.

Publications

Range-expansion effects on the belowground plant microbiome.

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