Abstract
Plant associations with soil microbiota can modulate tree seedling growth and survival via mutualistic or antagonistic interactions. It is uncertain, however, whether soil microbiota influence seedling growth of coastal trees when exposed to extreme flooding regimes. We evaluated the role of soil microbes in promoting baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) seedling performance under different inundation scenarios and determined the influence of flooding on the colonization of in planta beneficial microbes. Seedlings reared in sterile and non-sterile soil were exposed to three different flooding regimes historically experienced in Louisiana swamps. Seedling growth was assessed, and the colonization by beneficial symbionts such as arbuscular mycorrizhal fungi (AMF), and dark septate endophytes (DSE) was evaluated in harvested roots. Seedlings grown in sterile soil had six times higher growth than seedlings reared in non-sterile soil. As a result, we evaluated pathogen load in the roots by assessing oomycete colonization. Flooding influenced the in planta colonization of DSE and oomycetes, but did not affect the colonization of mutualist AMF fungi. DSE and oomycetes were rarer in flooded conditions, while AMF remained abundant. Seedling biomass production was not correlated with in planta fungal colonization or pathogen load. Soil microbiota can negatively influence baldcypress seedling growth, and no growth benefit was evidenced from the root colonization of mutualist fungi. Flooding can modify baldcypress-fungal interactions by diminishing colonization of DSE. Overall, baldycpress seedlings were more sensitive to the presence of microbiota than flooding, and thus restoration efforts should focus on having a better understanding of plant–microbe interactions in swamps.
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Acknowledgements
We thank Andrew From, Steve Formel, Peter Tellez, Emma Tower, Demetra Kandalepas and Emma Darr for their technical support conducting the experiment. We thank Camille Stagg and Christina Birnbaum for edits and suggestions in an early version of the manuscript. We are thankful for the comments and suggestions of Jeremiah A. Henning and one anonymous reviewer that helped us improve the final version of this manuscript. This work was partially supported by a Faculty Mentored Undergraduate Research Award from CELT-Tulane University by Tulane’s School of Science and Engineering, the provost office of Tulane University, and the U.S. Geological Survey Land Change Science Research and Development Program (RHD, KWK). Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
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LTM and SV conceived and designed the experiment. LTM, TCH, MH, MSJ and LK implemented the experiment. MSJ, LK, RHD and KWK assisted in field sampling. RHD and KWK provided hydrological models and data collection, as well as facilitating soil collection. MSJ collected symbiont colonization data from the roots. LTM analyzed the data and wrote the first draft of the manuscript. All authors contributed to editing the final manuscript.
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Communicated by Eleonora Egidi.
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Torres-Martínez, L., Sánchez-Julia, M., Kimbrough, E. et al. Influence of soil microbiota on Taxodium distichum seedling performance during extreme flooding events. Plant Ecol 221, 773–793 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-020-01059-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-020-01059-4