Purpose

Previous research alludes to two wiregrass (Aristida beyrichiana) ecotypes from mesic and xeric environments. It is unknown whether these ecotypes are restricted by conspecific plant-soil feedbacks or specific components of mesic and xeric soils. We investigated whether biomass production of wiregrass ecotypes grown in mesic and xeric soil was affected by conspecific plant-soil feedbacks, and whether wiregrass ecotypes responded differently to the soil biota and nutrients that characterize each of the two soil types.

Methods

We established a greenhouse experiment to compare the biomass production of mesic and xeric wiregrass ecotypes in mesic and xeric soil. To establish the effects of conspecific soil conditioning, each soil type was either conditioned or unconditioned by wiregrass. To to isolate the effects of soil biota and nutrients, each combination of soil type and conditioning was replicated in three soil manipulations (i.e., whole, inoculated, and sterile soil) where each wiregrass ecotype was grown.

Results

Biomass of the xeric ecotype was marginally greater in xeric soil than in mesic soil. The mesic ecotype tended to grow more in mesic than xeric soil, but it was not significant. Soil conditioning did not affect biomass production of either ecotype. Soil biota coupled with nutrients affected biomass production of both ecotypes when not growing in their own soil.

Conclusions

We found some evidence for wiregrass ecotypes that have increased growth in their own soil type, but not for conspecific plant-soil feedbacks. Ecotypes were affected by negative interactions with soil biota when growing in a different type. Thus, the soil environment should be considered when sourcing seeds for restoration.

中文翻译：

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热原束草 Aristida beyrichiana 在其本土土壤外种植时会受到土壤生物群的负面影响

目的

先前的研究暗示了来自中等和干旱环境的两种线草（Aristida beyrichiana）生态型。目前尚不清楚这些生态型是否受到同种植物 - 土壤反馈或中质和干旱土壤的特定成分的限制。我们调查了在中质和干旱土壤中生长的线草生态型的生物量生产是否受到同种植物-土壤反馈的影响，以及线草生态型是否对表征两种土壤类型的土壤生物群和养分有不同的反应。

方法

我们建立了一个温室实验来比较中质和旱生土壤中中质和旱生线草生态型的生物量生产。为了确定同种土壤调理的效果，每种土壤类型都经过钢丝草调理或未调理。为了分离土壤生物群和养分的影响，土壤类型和调节的每种组合都在三种土壤操作（即整个土壤、接种土壤和无菌土壤）中进行了复制，每种土壤生态型都生长在这些土壤中。

结果

干旱土壤中干旱生态型的生物量略高于中质土壤。中质生态型在中质土壤中比干旱土壤生长得更多，但并不显着。土壤调节不影响任一生态型的生物量生产。当不在自己的土壤中生长时，土壤生物群和养分会影响两种生态型的生物量生产。

结论

我们发现了一些线草生态型的证据，这些生态型在它们自己的土壤类型中增加了生长，但没有针对同种植物-土壤反馈。当以不同类型生长时，生态型受到与土壤生物群的负相互作用的影响。因此，在采购恢复种子时应考虑土壤环境。