Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1111/mec.12297
Document Shareable Link
Title (Primary) Host plant genus-level diversity is the best predictor of ectomycorrhizal fungal diversity in a Chinese subtropical forest
Author Gao, C.; Shi, N.-N.; Liu, Y.-X.; Peay, K.G.; Zheng, Y.; Ding, Q.; Mi, X.-C.; Ma, K.-P.; Wubet, T. ORCID logo ; Buscot, F.; Guo, L.-D.
Source Titel Molecular Ecology
Year 2013
Department BOOEK
Volume 22
Issue 12
Page From 3403
Page To 3414
Language englisch
Keywords ectomycorrhizal fungal diversity;EM fungal community;EM plant diversity;ITS barcoding;subtropical forest
UFZ wide themes RU1
Abstract

Microbial diversity is generally far higher than plant diversity, but the relationship between microbial diversity and plant diversity remains enigmatic. To shed light on this problem, we examined the diversity of a key guild of root-associated microbes, that is, ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungi along a plant diversity gradient in a Chinese subtropical forest. The results indicated that EM fungal diversity was positively correlated with host plant diversity. Furthermore, this relationship was best predicted by host genus-level diversity, rather than species-level diversity or family-level diversity. The generality of this finding was extended beyond our study system through the analyses of 100 additional studies of EM fungal communities from tropical and temperate forests. Here as well, EM fungal lineage composition was significantly affected by EM plant diversity levels, and some EM fungal lineages were co-associated with some host plant genera. These results suggest a general diversity maintenance mechanism for host-specific microbes based on higher order host plant phylogenetic diversity.

Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=13768
Gao, C., Shi, N.-N., Liu, Y.-X., Peay, K.G., Zheng, Y., Ding, Q., Mi, X.-C., Ma, K.-P., Wubet, T., Buscot, F., Guo, L.-D. (2013):
Host plant genus-level diversity is the best predictor of ectomycorrhizal fungal diversity in a Chinese subtropical forest
Mol. Ecol. 22 (12), 3403 - 3414 10.1111/mec.12297