College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, People's Republic of China.
Biol Lett. 2011 Jun 23;7(3):472-4. doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2010.1040. Epub 2010 Dec 8.
Because arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) species differ in stimulating the growth of particular host plant species, AMF species may vary in their effects on plant intra-specific competition and the self-thinning process. We tested this hypothesis using a microcosm experiment with Medicago sativa L. as a model plant population and four AMF species. Our results showed that the AMF species Glomus diaphanum stimulated host plant growth more than the other three AMF species did when the plants were grown individually. Glomus diaphanum also induced the highest rate of mortality in the self-thinning plant populations. We also found a positive correlation between mortality and growth response to colonization. Our results demonstrate that AMF species can affect plant mortality and the self-thinning process by affecting plant growth differently.
由于丛枝菌根真菌（AMF）物种在刺激特定宿主植物生长方面存在差异，因此 AMF 物种可能在植物种内竞争和自疏过程中的作用上存在差异。我们使用作为模型植物种群的 Medicago sativa L. 和四种 AMF 物种进行了微宇宙实验来检验这一假设。我们的结果表明，当植物单独生长时，AMF 物种 Glomus diaphanum 比其他三种 AMF 物种更能刺激宿主植物的生长。Glomus diaphanum 还导致自疏植物种群的死亡率最高。我们还发现死亡率和对定殖的生长响应之间存在正相关。我们的研究结果表明，AMF 物种可以通过不同的方式影响植物生长，从而影响植物的死亡率和自疏过程。
