Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal interactions bridge the support of root‐associated microbiota for slope multifunctionality in an erosion‐prone ecosystem
Tianyi Qiu,
Josep Peñuelas,
Yinglong Chen,
Jordi Sardans,
Jialuo Yu,
Zhiyuan Xu,
Qingliang Cui,
Ji Liu,
Yongxing Cui,
Shuling Zhao,
Jing Chen,
Yunqiang Wang,
Linchuan Fang
Affiliations
Tianyi Qiu
State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau Northwest A&F University Yangling China
Josep Peñuelas
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas Global Ecology Unit Centre de Recerca Ecològica i Aplicacions Forestals‐Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas‐Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Bellaterra Spain
Yinglong Chen
State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau Northwest A&F University Yangling China
Jordi Sardans
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas Global Ecology Unit Centre de Recerca Ecològica i Aplicacions Forestals‐Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas‐Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Bellaterra Spain
Jialuo Yu
Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
Zhiyuan Xu
State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau Northwest A&F University Yangling China
Qingliang Cui
Institute of Soil and Water Conservation Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water Resources Yangling China
Ji Liu
Hubei Province Key Laboratory for Geographical Process Analysis and Simulation Central China Normal University Wuhan China
Yongxing Cui
Institute of Biology Freie Universität Berlin Berlin Germany
Shuling Zhao
Institute of Soil and Water Conservation Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water Resources Yangling China
Jing Chen
Department of Cardiology Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University Wuhan China
Yunqiang Wang
Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Excellence in Quaternary Science and Global Change Chinese Academy of Sciences Xi'an China
Linchuan Fang
State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau Northwest A&F University Yangling China
Abstract The role of diverse soil microbiota in restoring erosion‐induced degraded lands is well recognized. Yet, the facilitative interactions among symbiotic arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, rhizobia, and heterotrophic bacteria, which underpin multiple functions in eroded ecosystems, remain unclear. Here, we utilized quantitative microbiota profiling and ecological network analyses to explore the interplay between the diversity and biotic associations of root‐associated microbiota and multifunctionality across an eroded slope of a Robinia pseudoacacia plantation on the Loess Plateau. We found explicit variations in slope multifunctionality across different slope positions, associated with shifts in limiting resources, including soil phosphorus (P) and moisture. To cope with P limitation, AM fungi were recruited by R. pseudoacacia, assuming pivotal roles as keystones and connectors within cross‐kingdom networks. Furthermore, AM fungi facilitated the assembly and composition of bacterial and rhizobial communities, collectively driving slope multifunctionality. The symbiotic association among R. pseudoacacia, AM fungi, and rhizobia promoted slope multifunctionality through enhanced decomposition of recalcitrant compounds, improved P mineralization potential, and optimized microbial metabolism. Overall, our findings highlight the crucial role of AM fungal‐centered microbiota associated with R. pseudoacacia in functional delivery within eroded landscapes, providing valuable insights for the sustainable restoration of degraded ecosystems in erosion‐prone regions.
