Interrelated effects of mycorrhiza and free-living nitrogen fixers cascade up to aboveground herbivores.

ABSTRACT: Aboveground plant performance is strongly influenced by belowground microorganisms, some of which are pathogenic and have negative effects, while others, such as nitrogen-fixing bacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, usually have positive effects. Recent research revealed that belowground interactions between plants and functionally distinct groups of microorganisms cascade up to aboveground plant associates such as herbivores and their natural enemies. However, while functionally distinct belowground microorganisms commonly co-occur in the rhizosphere, their combined effects, and relative contributions, respectively, on performance of aboveground plant-associated organisms are virtually unexplored. Here, we scrutinized and disentangled the effects of free-living nitrogen-fixing (diazo

SUBMITTER: Khaitov B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4567878 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature