Rooting theories of plant community ecology in microbial interactions
Authors
James D. Bever, Indiana University
Ian A. Dickie, Landcare Research, New Zealand
Evalina Facelli, University of Adelaide
Jose M. Facelli, University of Adelaide
John Klironomos, University of British Columbia-Okanagan, Canada
Mari Moora, University of Tartu, Estonia
Matthias C. Rillig, Freie Universita¨ t Berlin
William D. Stock, Edith Cowan University
Mark Tibbett, Centre for Land Rehabilitation, School of Earth and Environment, Australia
Martin Zobel, University of Tartu, Estonia
Document Type
Journal Article
Publisher
Elsevier
Faculty
Faculty of Computing, Health and Science
School
School of Natural Sciences / Centre for Ecosystem Management
RAS ID
10133
Abstract
Predominant frameworks for understanding plant ecology have an aboveground bias that neglects soil micro-organisms. This is inconsistent with recent work illustrating the importance of soil microbes in terrestrial ecology. Microbial effects have been incorporated into plant community dynamics using ideas of niche modification and plant–soil community feedbacks. Here, we expand and integrate qualitative conceptual models of plant niche and feedback to explore implications of microbial interactions for understanding plant community ecology. At the same time we review the empirical evidence for these processes. We also consider common mycorrhizal networks, and propose that these are best interpreted within the feedback framework. Finally, we apply our integrated model of niche and feedback to understanding plant coexistence, monodominance and invasion ecology.
DOI
10.1016/j.tree.2010.05.004
Comments
Bever, J., Dickie, I., Facelli, E., Facelli, J., Klironomos, J., Moora, M., Rillig, M., Stock, W. D., Tibbett, M., & Zobel, M. (2010). Rooting theories of plant community ecology in microbial interactions. Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 25(8), 468-478. Available here.