Plant pests influence the movement of plant-fixed carbon and fungal-acquired nutrients through arbuscular mycorrhizal networks
Data files
Oct 17, 2024 version files 40.56 KB
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AMF.root.colonisation.exp1.2.csv
8.67 KB
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carbon.staticore.and.fungal.per.gram.in.core.exp2.csv
2.31 KB
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harvest.exp1.2.csv
5.27 KB
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hyphal.counts.exp1.2.csv
3.55 KB
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p.shoots.fungal.16.18.exp1.csv
1.29 KB
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pcn.reproduction.exp1.csv
2.94 KB
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photosyn.q.exp1.2.week7.csv
3.04 KB
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README.md
10.38 KB
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total.p.shoots.exp1.csv
3.11 KB
Abstract
Plants typically interact with multiple, co-occurring symbionts, including arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi which can form networks, connecting neighbouring plants. A characteristic aspect of the mycorrhizal symbiosis is the bi-directional exchange of nutrients between host plants and fungal partners. Concurrent interactions with competing organisms such as aphids or potato cyst nematodes (PCN) can disrupt the carbon-for-nutrient exchange between plants and AM fungi. However, the role of mycorrhizal networks in mediating these interactions remains unclear.
Using isotope tracing in multi-plant experimental systems, we investigated the movement of plant photosynthates and fungal-acquired soil phosphorus through mycorrhizal networks and the interactive effects of PCN infection on this.
We found evidence of preferential allocation of fungal-acquired phosphorus to plants that were not infected by PCN compared to infected neighbours. Contrary to previous findings using single plants, we did not detect a PCN-induced reduction in the amounts of plant carbon delivered to AM fungi in multi-plant systems. However, the mycorrhizal network(s) moved plant-fixed carbon away from PCN-infected host plants, regardless of the PCN infection status of the neighbouring plant host.
Our work highlights the responsiveness of mycorrhizal networks to interactions with below-ground organisms. It also strengthens the argument for a more mycocentric view of AM-plant symbioses. Experimental designs of increasing ecological complexity are needed for a more comprehensive understanding of the carbon-for-nutrient dynamics in AM fungi-plant networks. This will, in turn, elucidate the role of AM fungi in terrestrial carbon cycling and their function in agricultural systems.
https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.905qfttt3
Description of the data and file structure
filename | column for main dependent variable | description |
---|---|---|
photosyn.q.week.7.exp.1.2 | FvP/FmP (i.e., fv.fm); SPAD (i.e., spad) | This is the data set for the FvP/FmP and SPAD measurements conducted upon the week of harvest (i.e., week 7 of growth) as displayed in Fig. S7. |
AMF.root.colonisation.exp1.2 | percentage root colonisation (e.g., hyp.col.max) | This is the data set for the AMF root colonisation presented as total colonisation, arbuscules and vesicles as displayed in Fig. S5A, B, and C respectively. |
hyphal.counts.exp.1.2 | soil hyphal counts measurements (i.e., total.hyphae.m.gram.soil) | This is the data set for the percentage soil hyphal counts measurements as displayed in Fig. S5D. |
harvest.exp1.2 | plant growth related data (e.g., shoot.weight.dry.grams) | This is the data set for the shoot biomass, tuber number and tuber dry weight upon harvest as displayed in Fig. S6A, B and C respectively. |
pcn.reproduction.exp1 | reproductive capacity of the nematodes (i.e., cyst.per.gram.side) | This is the data set for the reproductive capacity of the nematodes as displayed in Fig. S4. |
p.shoots.fungal.16.18.exp1 | p.shoots.fungal.16.18 | This is the data set for the fungal-acquired 33P in the shoots as displayed in Fig. 2. |
total.p.shoots.exp1 | shoots (i.e., total.p.plant.ug.g) | This is the data set for the total phosphorus concentration in the shoots as displayed in Fig. S8. |
carbon.staticcore.and.fungal.per.gram.in.core.exp2 | total C provided by each 14C-labelled to the mycorrhizal network (i.e., ug.c.m.total.hyphae.gram.of.soil.container.whole); percetange of the fungal C that move from the side of the 14C-labelled plant to the other side (i.e., ug.c.static.core.m.total.hyphae.gram.of.soil.rate.movement.percentage) | This is the data set for the total amount provided by each 14C-labelled to the mycorrhizal network (Fig. 3 ) and the percetange of the fungal C that move from the side of the 14C-labelled plant to the other side (Fig. 4). |
The columns for the main factors included are:
- treatment: the PCN infection treatment of the plant (‘PCN’ = infection with PCN and ‘NO’ = no infection with PCN)
- treatment.neighbour: the PCN infection treatment of the neigbouring plant (‘PCN’ = infection with PCN and ‘NO’ = no infection with PCN)
Other columns across the dataset include:
- experiment: when data are compiled from both experiments; ‘1’ indicates the 33P tracing experimernt and ‘2’ the 14C labelling experiment
- set: the experimental block (also include in the models as a first factor)
- code: a code name given to each plant
- side: coding to distinguish between each of the two plants within each mesocoms
- combi: a combination code for the PCN infection treatment across the mesocosm
- core.side: whether the core where present on this side of the mesocom (i.e., Y or YES) or not (i.e., N or NO) in 33P-tracing experiment
- container: a number given to each mesocosm
- label: whether the compartment or plant on that side where labelled (i.e., Y or YES) or not (i.e., N or NO)
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label.in: whether the 33P label was added to the static core (i.e., static) or the rotated core (i.e., rotated) in each mesocosm
- label.plant: whether the plant labelled with 14C was infected with PCN (i.e., PCN) or not (i.e., NO)
Specifically for the pcn.reproduction.exp1.csv dataset:
- cyst.per.gram.side: PCN infection expressed as cysts counted per gram of soil sieved for each one of the two side of each mesocosm
Specifically for the AMF.root.colonisation.exp1.2 dataset:
- q.arb: the number of arbuscules counted
- r.ves: the number of vesicles counted
- s.arb.ves: the number of arbuscules and vesicles counted
- t.hyp.con: the number of hyphae counted with were seen to be connected to a vesicle or arbusucle
- u.hyp.uncon: the number of hyphae counted with were NOT seen to be connected to a vesicle or arbusucle
- p.no: the number of interections were no fungal structure was observed
- intersections: the number of intersections completed
- arb.col: the estimated number of fungal colonisation based on the counts of arbuscules
- ves.col: the estimated number of fungal colonisation based on the counts of arbuscules and vesicles
- hyp.col.max: the maximum estimated number of fungal colonisation based on the counts of arbuscules, vesicles and hyphae
Specifically for the hyphal.counts.exp1.2 dataset:
- total.hyphae.m.gram.soil: the total lenght of hyphae measured as meters (m) per gram of soil
Specifically for the harvest.exp1.2 dataset:
- tuber.no: the number of tubers counted
- shoot.weight.dry.grams: the dry mass of the aboveground shoot of each plant measured in grams
- tuber.weight.dry.grams: the dry mass of the tubers of each plant measured in grams
Specifically for the total.p.shoots.exp1 dataset:
- total.p.plant.ug.g: the concentration of total phosphorus (P) in the shoots of each plant expessed as micrograms (ug) per gram (g) of dry weight of shoot
Specifically for the p.shoots.fungal.16.18.exp1 dataset:
- pg.g.static.set.positive: the concentration of fungal-acquired 33-phosphorus (P) in the shoots of each plant expessed as picograms (pg) per gram (g) of dry weight of shoot
Specifically for photosyn.q.week7.exp1.2:
- Fv/Fm: measurements of chlorophyll fluoresence (FvP/FmP) conducted with the PhotosynQ at week 7 of growth
- spad: measurements of chlorophyll content (SPAD) conducted with the PhotosynQ at week 7 of growth
Specifically for carbon.staticore.and.fungal.per.gram.in.core.exp2:
- ug.c.m.total.hyphae.gram.of.soil.container.whole: a measure of total plant-derived C detected in fungal hyphae across the whole container; this is expersed as microgram (ug) of C in the each meter of hyphae per gram of soil
- ug.c.static.core.m.total.hyphae.gram.of.soil.rate.movement.percentage: the percentage of the total plant-derived C (measured in microgram; ug) in the each meter of hyphae per gram of soil that moved from the side of the 14C-labelled plant to the side of the unlabelled plant
The data have been pre-processed and analysed as explained in the Materials and Methods section of the accompanying manuscript.
Code/Software
R script code provided to match the attached datasets. Need to specify working directory according to your system. Required packages are included at the top of the script.
This dataset has been collected and processed as per the Materials and Methods section of the accompanying manuscript.