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Invasive plants decrease arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal diversity and promote generalist fungal partners

Summary

When invasive plants take over ecosystems, they damage the underground fungal communities that native plants depend on. This study found that as invasive plants become more dominant, the diversity of helpful fungi decreases and is replaced by generalist fungi that can live with many plant types. This loss of fungal diversity weakens the overall ecosystem and makes it harder for native plants to thrive.

Background

Exotic plant invasions are a major threat to ecosystem biodiversity globally. While mutualistic belowground associations with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can influence invasion success, studies have shown mixed results regarding how plant invasion affects AMF communities. Understanding the relationship between invasion extent and fungal diversity is important for ecosystem management.

Objective

To test how exotic plant dominance in plant communities impacts AMF community diversity, composition, and generalism at both individual plant and community scales, and whether plant root traits moderate these relationships.

Results

AMF richness decreased as exotic plant dominance increased in both individual plants and plant communities. Communities with higher exotic dominance showed increased relative abundance of generalist AMF. Plant root diameter influenced AMF family composition but did not moderate the effects of exotic dominance on fungal diversity.

Conclusion

Exotic plant invasion reduces belowground AMF diversity and promotes generalist fungal partnerships, which may reinforce exotic plant establishment. The loss of AMF diversity correlates with reduced aboveground biomass, indicating that preserving mycorrhizal fungal diversity is important for ecosystem restoration.
  • Published in:New Phytologist,
  • Study Type:Experimental Study,
  • Source: 10.1111/nph.70342, PMID: 40566881
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