Root traits explain multitrophic interactions of belowground microfauna on soil nitrogen mineralization and plant productivity

Junwei Hu; Ummehani Hassi; Mesfin Tsegaye Gebremikael; Kenneth Dumack; Tom De Swaef; Wim Wesemael; Steven Sleutel; Stefaan De Neve

doi:10.1016/j.soilbio.2023.109093

Root traits explain multitrophic interactions of belowground microfauna on soil nitrogen mineralization and plant productivity

Junwei Hu^*, Ummehani Hassi, Mesfin Tsegaye Gebremikael, Kenneth Dumack, Tom De Swaef, Wim Wesemael, Steven Sleutel, Stefaan De Neve

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Food Science - Plant, Food & Sustainability

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

7 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Both herbivorous and bacterivorous microfauna have been shown to influence root development, soil nitrogen (N) mineralization, and plant productivity. However, our knowledge of these effects is limited as multitrophic interactions remain largely unexplored. We investigated whether and how herbivorous nematodes (Pratylenchus zeae) and bacterivorous nematodes (Poikilolaimus oxycercus), alone and in combination, affect plant biomass (Lolium multiflorum) through root traits and/or soil N mineralization. Bacterivorous nematodes increased, whereas herbivorous nematodes decreased, plant productivity. We found that root trait coordination in response to soil microfauna was consistent with the concept of root economics space. The negative interaction between herbivorous and bacterivorous nematodes on plant productivity at high herbivorous nematode infestation could be explained by reduced N mineralization and variation in the root nitrogen concentration-root tissue density (RNC-RTD) axis aligned with increased herbivory intensity. This study revealed that herbivorous and bacterivorous nematodes moderated each other's effect on plant productivity via root trait coordination and N mineralization, and suggests, for the first time, the value of the root economics space concept for interpreting phenotypic root plasticity and functioning in response to local biotic factors.

Original language	English
Article number	109093
Journal	Soil Biology and Biochemistry
Volume	184
Number of pages	13
ISSN	0038-0717
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2023.109093
Publication status	Published - Sept 2023

Keywords

Bacterivorous microfauna
Herbivorous nematodes
Multitrophic interactions
Root economics space
Root traits
Soil N mineralization

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title = "Root traits explain multitrophic interactions of belowground microfauna on soil nitrogen mineralization and plant productivity",

abstract = "Both herbivorous and bacterivorous microfauna have been shown to influence root development, soil nitrogen (N) mineralization, and plant productivity. However, our knowledge of these effects is limited as multitrophic interactions remain largely unexplored. We investigated whether and how herbivorous nematodes (Pratylenchus zeae) and bacterivorous nematodes (Poikilolaimus oxycercus), alone and in combination, affect plant biomass (Lolium multiflorum) through root traits and/or soil N mineralization. Bacterivorous nematodes increased, whereas herbivorous nematodes decreased, plant productivity. We found that root trait coordination in response to soil microfauna was consistent with the concept of root economics space. The negative interaction between herbivorous and bacterivorous nematodes on plant productivity at high herbivorous nematode infestation could be explained by reduced N mineralization and variation in the root nitrogen concentration-root tissue density (RNC-RTD) axis aligned with increased herbivory intensity. This study revealed that herbivorous and bacterivorous nematodes moderated each other's effect on plant productivity via root trait coordination and N mineralization, and suggests, for the first time, the value of the root economics space concept for interpreting phenotypic root plasticity and functioning in response to local biotic factors.",

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author = "Junwei Hu and Ummehani Hassi and Gebremikael, {Mesfin Tsegaye} and Kenneth Dumack and {De Swaef}, Tom and Wim Wesemael and Steven Sleutel and {De Neve}, Stefaan",

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Root traits explain multitrophic interactions of belowground microfauna on soil nitrogen mineralization and plant productivity. / Hu, Junwei; Hassi, Ummehani; Gebremikael, Mesfin Tsegaye et al.
In: Soil Biology and Biochemistry, Vol. 184, 109093, 09.2023.

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Root traits explain multitrophic interactions of belowground microfauna on soil nitrogen mineralization and plant productivity

AU - Hu, Junwei

AU - Hassi, Ummehani

AU - Gebremikael, Mesfin Tsegaye

AU - Dumack, Kenneth

AU - De Swaef, Tom

AU - Wesemael, Wim

AU - Sleutel, Steven

AU - De Neve, Stefaan

PY - 2023/9

Y1 - 2023/9

N2 - Both herbivorous and bacterivorous microfauna have been shown to influence root development, soil nitrogen (N) mineralization, and plant productivity. However, our knowledge of these effects is limited as multitrophic interactions remain largely unexplored. We investigated whether and how herbivorous nematodes (Pratylenchus zeae) and bacterivorous nematodes (Poikilolaimus oxycercus), alone and in combination, affect plant biomass (Lolium multiflorum) through root traits and/or soil N mineralization. Bacterivorous nematodes increased, whereas herbivorous nematodes decreased, plant productivity. We found that root trait coordination in response to soil microfauna was consistent with the concept of root economics space. The negative interaction between herbivorous and bacterivorous nematodes on plant productivity at high herbivorous nematode infestation could be explained by reduced N mineralization and variation in the root nitrogen concentration-root tissue density (RNC-RTD) axis aligned with increased herbivory intensity. This study revealed that herbivorous and bacterivorous nematodes moderated each other's effect on plant productivity via root trait coordination and N mineralization, and suggests, for the first time, the value of the root economics space concept for interpreting phenotypic root plasticity and functioning in response to local biotic factors.

AB - Both herbivorous and bacterivorous microfauna have been shown to influence root development, soil nitrogen (N) mineralization, and plant productivity. However, our knowledge of these effects is limited as multitrophic interactions remain largely unexplored. We investigated whether and how herbivorous nematodes (Pratylenchus zeae) and bacterivorous nematodes (Poikilolaimus oxycercus), alone and in combination, affect plant biomass (Lolium multiflorum) through root traits and/or soil N mineralization. Bacterivorous nematodes increased, whereas herbivorous nematodes decreased, plant productivity. We found that root trait coordination in response to soil microfauna was consistent with the concept of root economics space. The negative interaction between herbivorous and bacterivorous nematodes on plant productivity at high herbivorous nematode infestation could be explained by reduced N mineralization and variation in the root nitrogen concentration-root tissue density (RNC-RTD) axis aligned with increased herbivory intensity. This study revealed that herbivorous and bacterivorous nematodes moderated each other's effect on plant productivity via root trait coordination and N mineralization, and suggests, for the first time, the value of the root economics space concept for interpreting phenotypic root plasticity and functioning in response to local biotic factors.

KW - Bacterivorous microfauna

KW - Herbivorous nematodes

KW - Multitrophic interactions

KW - Root economics space

KW - Root traits

KW - Soil N mineralization

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DO - 10.1016/j.soilbio.2023.109093

M3 - Journal article

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SN - 0038-0717

VL - 184

JO - Soil Biology and Biochemistry

JF - Soil Biology and Biochemistry

M1 - 109093

ER -

Root traits explain multitrophic interactions of belowground microfauna on soil nitrogen mineralization and plant productivity

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Keywords

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