Soil microarthropods alter the outcome of plant-soil feedback experiments.

ABSTRACT: Plant-soil feedback (PSF) effects are studied as plant growth responses to soil previously conditioned by another plant. These studies usually exclude effects of soil fauna, such as nematodes, soil arthropods, and earthworms, although these organisms are known to influence plant performance. Here, we aimed to explore effects of a model microarthropod community on PSFs. We performed a PSF experiment in microcosms with two plant species, Phleum pratense and Poa pratensis. We added a model microarthropod community consisting of three fungivorous springtail species (Proisotoma minuta, Folsomia candida, and Sinella curviseta) and a predatory mite (Hypoaspis aculeifer) to half of the microcosms. We measured seedling establishment and plant biomass, nematode and microbial community composition, m

SUBMITTER: Kutakova E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6085370 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature