Functional complementarity of ancient plant-fungal mutualisms: contrasting nitrogen, phosphorus and carbon exchanges between Mucoromycotina and Glomeromycotina fungal symbionts of liverworts.
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Accepted version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Liverworts, which are amongst the earliest-divergent plant lineages and important ecosystem pioneers, often form nutritional mutualisms with arbuscular mycorrhiza-forming Glomeromycotina and fine root endophyte Mucoromycotina fungi, both of which co-evolved with early land plants. Some liverworts, in common with many later-divergent plants, harbour both fungal groups, suggesting these fungi may complementarily improve plant access to different soil nutrients. We tested this hypothesis by growing liverworts in single and dual fungal partnerships under a modern atmosphere and under 1500 ppm [CO2 ], as experienced by early land plants. Access to soil nutrients via fungal partners was investigated with 15 N-labelled algal necromass and 33 P orthophosphate. Photosynthate allocation to fungi was traced using 14 CO2 . Only Mucoromycotina fungal partners provided liverworts with substantial access to algal 15 N, irrespective of atmospheric CO2 concentration. Both symbionts increased 33 P uptake, but Glomeromycotina were often more effective. Dual partnerships showed complementarity of nutrient pool use and greatest photosynthate allocation to symbiotic fungi. We show there are important functional differences between the plant-fungal symbioses tested, providing new insights into the functional biology of Glomeromycotina and Mucoromycotina fungal groups that form symbioses with plants. This may explain the persistence of both fungal lineages in symbioses across the evolution of land plants.
Date Issued
2019-07
Date Acceptance
2019-03-16
Citation
New Phytologist, 2019, 223 (2), pp.908-921
ISSN
0028-646X
Publisher
Wiley
Start Page
908
End Page
921
Journal / Book Title
New Phytologist
Volume
223
Issue
2
Copyright Statement
© 2019 Wiley. This is the accepted version of the following article: [Field, K. J., Bidartondo, M. I., Rimington, W. R., Hoysted, G. A., Beerling, D. J., Cameron, D. D., Duckett, J. G., Leake, J. R. and Pressel, S. (2019), Functional complementarity of ancient plant‐fungal mutualisms: contrasting nitrogen, phosphorus and carbon exchanges between Mucoromycotina and Glomeromycotina fungal symbionts of liverworts. New Phytol. Accepted Author Manuscript. doi:10.1111/nph.15819], which has been published in final form at [https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.15819]
Sponsor
Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30919981
Grant Number
NE/N009665/1
Subjects
CO
2
2
Symbiosis
arbuscular mycorrhiza
carbon-for-nutrient exchange
fine root endophyte
liverworts
nitrogen
orthophosphate
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
England
Date Publish Online
2019-05-05