Soil microbes alter seedling performance and biotic interactions under plant competition and contrasting light conditions.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

Growing evidence suggests that the net effect of soil microbes on plants depends on both abiotic and biotic conditions, but the context-dependency of soil feedback effects remains poorly understood. Here we test for interactions between the presence of conspecific soil microbes, plant competition and light availability on tree seedling performance.

Methods

Seedlings of two congeneric tropical tree species, Bauhinia brachycarpa and Bauhinia variegata, were grown in either sterilized soil or soil conditioned by conspecific soil microorganisms in a two-phase greenhouse feedback experiment. We examined the interactive effects of soil treatment (live, sterilized), light availability (low, high) and plant competition (no competition, intraspecific and interspec

SUBMITTER: Xi N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7596364 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature