Pyrenean Institute of Ecology (CSIC), Avda. Nuestra Señora de la Victoria, s/n 22700 Jaca (Huesca), Spain.
Am J Bot. 2013 Sep;100(9):1790-9. doi: 10.3732/ajb.1300002. Epub 2013 Aug 30.
Wild-boar soil disturbance (i.e., rooting) increases the abundance of some species of geophytes (i.e., plants with underground renewal buds) in upland meadows. However, the mechanisms that could lead to such enhanced prevalence remain unexplored. •
We analyzed the effects of wild-boar disturbance on the size, nutrient (N, P, K, C, and total ash), and nonstructural carbohydrate (soluble sugars, starch plus fructans, and total nonstructural carbohydrate) content of the storage organs of five taxa of upland geophytes. Results were explored in relation to the nutrient availability (total N, available P, and K) in the soil. •
Wild-boar rooting increased the size and the nutrient content of the storage organs of geophytes. Such enhanced storage was further promoted by rooting recurrence and intensity. Although we could not detect a direct impact of rooting on soil nutrient concentrations, plants were clearly N limited and such limitation was ameliorated in areas rooted by wild boar. Furthermore, plant-soil interactions for N were different in rooted areas, where plant N-concentrations responded positively to soil N. •
Geophytes growing in rooted areas have an increased nutrient value, which may promote the revisit of wild boars to previously rooted areas, with further positive feed-back effects on plant quality. This plant-animal interaction may shape upland geophyte communities.
野猪的土壤扰动（即扎根）会增加一些陆生球茎植物（即具有地下更新芽的植物）在旱地草地中的丰度。然而，导致这种丰度增加的机制仍未被探索。
我们分析了野猪干扰对五种旱地球茎植物的贮藏器官大小、养分（N、P、K、C 和总灰分）和非结构性碳水化合物（可溶性糖、淀粉加呋喃果糖和总非结构性碳水化合物）含量的影响。结果与土壤中养分（总氮、有效磷和钾）的可用性有关。
野猪的扎根增加了球茎植物贮藏器官的大小和养分含量。扎根的重现和强度进一步促进了这种储存。尽管我们不能检测到扎根对土壤养分浓度的直接影响，但植物显然受到 N 的限制，而野猪扎根的区域则改善了这种限制。此外，在扎根区域，植物-土壤之间的 N 相互作用不同，植物的 N 浓度对土壤 N 呈正响应。
在扎根区域生长的球茎植物具有更高的营养价值，这可能会促使野猪再次访问之前扎根的区域，从而对植物质量产生进一步的积极反馈效应。这种植物-动物相互作用可能会塑造旱地球茎植物群落。
