We grew plants in split root microcosms and manipulated the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) species identity in both sides of these microcosms. Our intent was to evaluate whether a common mechanism of symbiotic control among plant species is the preferential allocation of carbon (C) to higher quality AMF species when plants have options of AMF species in separate parts of their root systems.
biomass_and_nutrients.csv
Plant biomass (dry) as total and partitioned into nutrients, both fractional and total nutrient content for phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N). Data are given for each species pool and the associated plant species x AMF species compositions
Description of the data and file structure
Variable |
Description |
units |
pool |
pool of plant and AMF species used |
n/a |
plantsp |
plant species genus names |
n/a |
amfcomp |
AMF species composition |
n/a |
choice |
Whether plants have choice between two AMF species or are restricted to interact with a single AMF species |
n/a |
mass |
Shoot biomass of the host plant |
g |
pfrac |
Fractional P content of host plant shoot biomass |
g/g |
nfrac |
Fractional P content of host plant shoot biomass |
g/g |
totp |
Total P content of host plant shoot biomass |
mg |
totn |
Total N content of host plant shoot biomass |
mg |
Factor levels
plantsp |
Description |
holcus |
Holcus lanatus |
lolium |
Lolium multiflorum |
plantago |
Plantago lanceolata |
trifolium |
Trifolium pratense |
amf* |
Description |
fm |
Funneliformis mosseae |
gd |
Glomus diaphanum |
sc |
Septoglomus constrictum |
cc |
Claroideoglomus claroideum |
dc |
Diversispora celata |
ri |
Rhizophagus invermaius |
*This applies equally to amf_focal, amf_opposite and amfcomp
choice |
Description |
choice |
Plants have two different AMF species in the spatially separated portions of their root systems |
no_choice |
Plants have the same exact AMF species in the spatially separated portions of their root systems |
GCA.csv
We estimated the quality of AMF species associated with our host plants in order to assess whether plants allocated more C (measured as 14C) to higher quality AMF. We achieved this via a mechanical diallel approach, taken from biodiversity experiments. We estimated general combining ability (GCA) for each plant x AMF species, for both total P (i.e. P acquired potential via direct root P uptake + AMF P uptake mechanism) and radiolabeled P (either 32or33P; i.e. P acquired via AMF P uptake mechanism)
Description
Variable |
Description |
units |
pool |
pool of plant and AMF species used |
n/a |
plantsp |
plant species genus names |
n/a |
amf |
AMF species |
n/a |
totp_gca |
Total plant shoot P general combining ability (GCA), estimate of AMF species quality. Estimated for each plant species x AMF species combination. |
mg |
p_gca |
Radiolabeled shoot P (either 32 or 33P; acquired from AMF transfer) general combining ability (GCA), estimate of AMF species quality. Estimated for each plant species x AMF species combination. |
kBq (kilobecquerels) |
Factor levels
plantsp |
Description |
holcus |
Holcus lanatus |
lolium |
Lolium multiflorum |
plantago |
Plantago lanceolata |
trifolium |
Trifolium pratense |
amf* |
Description |
fm |
Funneliformis mosseae |
gd |
Glomus diaphanum |
sc |
Septoglomus constrictum |
cc |
Claroideoglomus claroideum |
dc |
Diversispora celata |
ri |
Rhizophagus invermaius |
*This applies equally to amf_focal, amf_opposite and amfcomp
radioisotopes.csv
Radioactive isotopic tracers applied to plants and associated arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) within a split root microcosm. Our intent was to identify patterns of resource transfer (plant carbon (C) and AMF phosphorus (P)) between several different combinations of plant hosts and AMF species (between 1 and 2 species).
Description
Variable |
Description |
units |
pool |
pool of plant and AMF species used |
n/a |
plantsp |
plant species genus names |
n/a |
amf_focal |
focal AMF species |
n/a |
amf_opposite |
AMF species in opposing side of the microcosm |
n/a |
amfcomp |
AMF species composition |
n/a |
c |
14C transferred to focal AMF species |
kBq (kilobecquerels) |
p |
32 or 33P transferred from focal AMF species to plant |
kBq (kilobecquerels) |
cp |
14C:32/33P, i.e. C transferred from plants to focal AMF species relative to P acquired from focal AMF species |
kBq (kilobecquerels) |
Factor levels
plantsp |
Description |
holcus |
Holcus lanatus |
lolium |
Lolium multiflorum |
plantago |
Plantago lanceolata |
trifolium |
Trifolium pratense |
amf* |
Description |
fm |
Funneliformis mosseae |
gd |
Glomus diaphanum |
sc |
Septoglomus constrictum |
cc |
Claroideoglomus claroideum |
dc |
Diversispora celata |
ri |
Rhizophagus invermaius |
*This applies equally to amf_focal, amf_opposite and amfcomp