Coordination between compound‐specific chemistry and morphology in plant roots aligns with ancestral mycorrhizal association in woody angiosperms

• DOI: 10.1111/nph.17561
• Publication Date: 2021-06-17T07:17:47Z
• Authors: Mengxue Xia; Oscar J. Valverde...; Vidya Suseela; Christopher B. Bl...; Nishanth Tharayil
• Keywords: Morphology; Mycorrhizal Fungi; Plant Roots; Association (psychology)

Recent studies on fine root functional traits proposed a economics hypothesis where adaptations associated with mycorrhizal dependency strongly influence the organization of traits, forming dominant axis trait covariation unique to roots. This conclusion, however, is based tradeoffs few widely studied traits. It unknown how other fit into this mycorrhizal-collaboration gradient. Here, we provide significant extension field ecology by examining secondary compounds coordinate We analyzed dataset integrating compound-specific chemistry, morphology and anatomy roots leaves from 34 temperate tree species spanning major angiosperm lineages. Our data uncovered previously undocumented coordination covary each other. coordination, aligned colonization, reflects between chemical protection dependency, provides mechanistic support for also found remarkable phylogenetic structuring in chemistry. These patterns were not mirrored leaves. Furthermore, was largely decoupled leaf spectrum. results unveil broad demonstrate belowground adaptions, suggest that strategies phylogeny could impact biogeochemical cycles through their links