Interspecific facilitation of micronutrient uptake between cluster-root-bearing trees and non-cluster rooted-shrubs in a Banksia woodland.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

Belowground interspecific plant facilitation is supposed to play a key role in enabling species co-existence in hyperdiverse ecosystems in extremely nutrient-poor, semi-arid habitats, such as Banksia woodlands in southwestern-Australia. Manganese (Mn) is readily mobilised by Banksia cluster root activity in most soils and accumulates in mature leaves of native Australian plant species without significant remobilisation during leaf senescence. We hypothesised that neighbouring shrubs are facilitated in terms of Mn uptake depending on distance to surrounding cluster root-forming Banksia trees.

Methods

We mapped all Banksia trees and selected neighbouring shrubs within a study site in Western Australia. Soil samples were collected

SUBMITTER: Staudinger C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10948572 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature