A novel proxy to examine interspecific phosphorus facilitation between plant species
2023
Yu, Rui-Peng | Su, Ye | Lambers, Hans | van Ruijven, Jasper | An, Ran | Yang, Hao | Yin, Xiao-Tong | Xing, Yi | Zhang, Wei-Ping | Li, Long
Resource complementarity can contribute to enhanced ecosystem functioning in diverse plant communities, but the role of facilitation in the enhanced complementarity is poorly understood.Here, we use leaf manganese concentration ([Mn]) as a proxy for rhizos heath carboxylate concentration to explore novel mechanisms of complementarity mediated by phosphorus (P)facilitation.In pot experiments, we showed that mixtures involving Carex korshinskyi, an efficient P-mobilizing species, exhibited greater biomass and relative complementarity effect than combinations without C. korshinskyi on P-deficient soils. Compared with monocultures, leaf [Mn]and [P] of species that are inefficient at P mobilization increased by 27% and 21% when grown with C. korshinskyi (i.e. interspecific P facilitation via carboxylates) rather than next to another inefficient P-mobilizing species. This experimental result was supported by a meta-analysis including a range of efficient P-mobilizing species. Phosphorus facilitation enhanced the relative complementarity effect in low-P environments, related to a greater change in several facilitated species of their root morphological traits relative to those in monoculture.Using leaf [Mn] as a proxy, we highlight a vital mechanism of interspecific P facilitation via below ground processes and provide evidence for the pivotal role of P facilitation mediated by the plasticity of root traits in biodiversity research.
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