Mycorrhizal symbiosis pathway and edaphic fertility frame root economics space among tree species

• DOI: 10.1111/nph.18066
• Publication Date: 2022-03-04T10:16:37Z
• Authors: Han Yan; Grégoire T. Freschet; Huimin Wang; James Aaron Hogan; Shenggong Li; Oscar J. Valverde...; Xiaoli Fu; Ruili Wang; Xiaoqin Dai; Lei Jiang; Shengwang Meng; Fengting Yang; Miaomiao Zhang; Liang Kou
• Keywords: Edaphic; Root (linguistics); Tree (set theory)

Summary The root economics space (RES) is multidimensional and largely shaped by belowground biotic abiotic influences. However, how root–fungal symbioses edaphic fertility drive this complexity remains unclear. Here, we measured absorptive traits of 112 tree species in temperate subtropical forests China, including linked to functional differences between arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) ectomycorrhizal (ECM) hosts. Our data, from known species, revealed a ‘fungal‐symbiosis’ dimension distinguishing AM ECM species. This divergence likely resulted the contrasting evolutionary development vs associations. Increased tissue cortical facilitates symbiosis, whereas increased branching favours symbiosis. Irrespective type, ‘root‐lifespan’ reflecting aspects construction cost defence was controlled variation specific length density, which fully independent nitrogen content. Within function‐based RES, observed substantial covariation axes with soil phosphorus nitrate levels, highlighting role played these two nutrient acquisition conservation. Overall, our findings demonstrate importance evolved symbiosis pathway framing provide theoretical mechanistic insights into economics.