Plant-soil feedback: Difference between revisions
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A following developed approach was that plant species were grown in living soils to develop a soil community, which is the conditioning phase, followed by a test phase in which the growth response on changed biotic conditions was tested (Figure 1). The strength of this two-phase plant–soil feedback approach is that the effects are less dependent on possible side effects of local differences in abiotic soil conditions and that the plant species influencing the soil is controlled. But a potential weakness is that a different soil community may develop in pots under greenhouse conditions than in the field. And the growth responses in the feedback phase can be due to nutrient depletion in the first phase (Pernilla Brinkman et al., 2010). | A following developed approach was that plant species were grown in living soils to develop a soil community, which is the conditioning phase, followed by a test phase in which the growth response on changed biotic conditions was tested (Figure 1). The strength of this two-phase plant–soil feedback approach is that the effects are less dependent on possible side effects of local differences in abiotic soil conditions and that the plant species influencing the soil is controlled. But a potential weakness is that a different soil community may develop in pots under greenhouse conditions than in the field. And the growth responses in the feedback phase can be due to nutrient depletion in the first phase (Pernilla Brinkman et al., 2010). | ||
===History and importance=== | |||
More than 2000 years ago in both Europe and Asia, it was known that fruit trees were subject to replanting failures when young trees were planted where conspecifics or congeners had grown. For more than 1000 years, humans have been aware of, and managed, plant–soil feedbacks in agriculture and horticulture. In agricultural settings, plant–soil feedbacks most often involves soil nutrient depletion or the build-up of species-specific, soil-borne pathogens. Rotational cropping systems were developed to reduce failures of crop establishment and to increase productivity. Ecologists have benefited greatly from insights into agricultural practices and the early knowledge about plant-pest and pathogen inter-actions (Putten et al., 2013). | |||
Interest in plant–soil feed-backs has increased in the past 10 years. And many exciting results are released. Plant–soil feedbacks is becoming an important concept for explaining vegetation dynamics, the invasiveness of introduced exotic species in new habitats and how terrestrial ecosystems respond to global land use and climate change. | |||
==Biological interaction== | ==Biological interaction== | ||
Revision as of 06:12, 8 April 2013
Introduction
Definition
Plant influences on biotic and abiotic soil properties may alter the soil’s ability to support these same individuals, other individuals of the same species or other plant species. Changes to soil properties that are caused by plants, which in turn influence the performance of plants are termed ‘plant–soil feedbacks’ (Putten et al., 2013).
In plant-soil systems, a plant-induced change in the composition and activity of the soil’s biotic, physical or chemical properties, and/or the rates of ecosystem processes, directly affect the plants. Through changes in the demography of the plant population and/or the physiological activity of the individual plants, the plant’s effect on the soil conditions increases (positive feedback) or decreases (negative feedback) (Ehrenfeld et al., 2005).
Basic approaches
The basic idea of plant–soil feedback experiments is that plants first influence the composition of the soil community, which is called soil conditioning. Then, the effects of conditioning are evaluated by assessing soil effects on subsequent plant growth.
The earlier experiments testing plant–soil feedback effects were started from natural field-sampled soil. The strength of this method is that plants have influenced the soil for a long period of time under natural conditions. However, the weakness of this approach is that soils may differ in the composition of the soil community and abiotic properties.
A following developed approach was that plant species were grown in living soils to develop a soil community, which is the conditioning phase, followed by a test phase in which the growth response on changed biotic conditions was tested (Figure 1). The strength of this two-phase plant–soil feedback approach is that the effects are less dependent on possible side effects of local differences in abiotic soil conditions and that the plant species influencing the soil is controlled. But a potential weakness is that a different soil community may develop in pots under greenhouse conditions than in the field. And the growth responses in the feedback phase can be due to nutrient depletion in the first phase (Pernilla Brinkman et al., 2010).
History and importance
More than 2000 years ago in both Europe and Asia, it was known that fruit trees were subject to replanting failures when young trees were planted where conspecifics or congeners had grown. For more than 1000 years, humans have been aware of, and managed, plant–soil feedbacks in agriculture and horticulture. In agricultural settings, plant–soil feedbacks most often involves soil nutrient depletion or the build-up of species-specific, soil-borne pathogens. Rotational cropping systems were developed to reduce failures of crop establishment and to increase productivity. Ecologists have benefited greatly from insights into agricultural practices and the early knowledge about plant-pest and pathogen inter-actions (Putten et al., 2013).
Interest in plant–soil feed-backs has increased in the past 10 years. And many exciting results are released. Plant–soil feedbacks is becoming an important concept for explaining vegetation dynamics, the invasiveness of introduced exotic species in new habitats and how terrestrial ecosystems respond to global land use and climate change.
Biological interaction
Provide details of the symbiosis or biological interaction. Is this a specific or general interaction? How do these interactions influence the host or other microbial populations, and their activities? How do these interactions influence other organisms (positive or negative influences)? What is the outcome of this interaction? Are there ecological consequences? Describe biological interactions using as many sections/subsections as you require. Look at other topics available in MicrobeWiki. Create links where relevant.
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Subsection 1a
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Niche
Describe the physical, chemical, or spatial characteristics of the niche where we might find this interaction, using as many sections/subsections as you require. Look at other topics available in MicrobeWiki. Create links where relevant.
Subsection 1
Subsection 1a
Subsection 1b
Subsection 2
Microbial processes
What microbial processes are important for this microbial interaction? Does this microbial interaction have some ecosystem-level effects? Does this interaction affect the environment in any way? Describe critical microbial processes or activities that are important in this interaction, adding sections/subsections as needed. Look at other topics in MicrobeWiki. Are some of these processes already described? Create links where relevant.
Subsection 1
Subsection 1a
Subsection 1b
Subsection 2
Key Microorganisms
What specific kinds of microbes are typically involved in this interaction? Or associated with important processes? Describe key groups (genera, species) of microbes that we find in this environment, and any special adaptations they may have evolved to survive in this environment. List examples of specific microbes that represent key groups or are associated with important processes found in this environment. Add sections/subsections as needed. Look at other microbe listings in MicrobeWiki. Are some of the groups of microbes from your environment already described? Create links to other MicrobeWiki pages where possible.
Subsection 1
Subsection 1a
Subsection 1b
Subsection 2
Current Research
Enter summaries of recent research here--at least three required
References
Edited by <your name>, a student of Angela Kent at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
