Differences in the fungal communities nursed by two genetic groups of the alpine cushion plant, Silene acaulis.

ABSTRACT: Foundation plants shape the composition of local biotic communities and abiotic environments, but the impact of a plant's intraspecific variations on these processes is poorly understood. We examined these links in the alpine cushion moss campion (Silene acaulis) on two neighboring mountain ranges in the French Alps. Genotyping of cushion plants revealed two genetic clusters matching known subspecies. The exscapa subspecies was found on both limestone and granite, while the longiscapa one was only found on limestone. Even on similar limestone bedrock, cushion soils from the two S. acaulis subspecies deeply differed in their impact on soil abiotic conditions. They further strikingly differed from each other and from the surrounding bare soils in fungal community

SUBMITTER: Roy J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6303776 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature