Effect of arbuscular mycorrhiza on inter- and intraspecific competition of two grassland species.

摘要: We were interested in the role of arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) competition between plants different sizes. A pot experiment factorial design was established, which AM root colonization and used as treatments. Five-week-old Prunella vulgaris seedlings chosen target (i.e. whose response to studied) following (13 replicates each) neighbours: (1) a large, 10-week-old P. vulgaris, (2) two seedlings, (3) Fragaria vesca. In where small neighbours grown together with plants, did not reduce plant weight significantly, compared other The competitive effects large significant, regardless species (both older reduced weights similarly), but there clear difference intra- interspecific when mycorrhizal. intraspecific neighbour, shoot 24% inoculated AM. Thus, amplified rather than balanced competition. old F. vesca, 22% greater non-mycorrhizal. results showed that, for given soil condition, might increase diversity by increasing suppression decreasing larger neighbours.