Salt Marsh Elevation Drives Root Microbial Composition of the Native Invasive Grass Elytrigia atherica.

ABSTRACT: Elytrigia atherica is a native invasive plant species whose expansion on salt marshes is attributed to genotypic and phenotypic adaptations to non-ideal environmental conditions, forming two ecotypes. It is unknown how E. atherica-microbiome interactions are contributing to its adaptation. Here we investigated the effect of sea-water flooding frequency and associated soil (a)biotic conditions on plant traits and root-associated microbial community composition and potential functions of two E. atherica ecotypes. We observed higher endomycorrhizal colonization in high-elevation ecotypes (HE, low inundation frequency), whereas low-elevation ecotypes (LE, high inundation frequency) had higher specific leaf area. Similarly, rhizosphere and endosphere bacterial communities g

SUBMITTER: Hernandez EG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7589393 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature