Data from: Plastic responses of belowground foraging traits to soil phosphorus-rich patches across 17 coexisting AM tree species in a subtropical forest

1. Belowground plastic responses to soil nutrient “hot-spots” form a key
nutrient foraging strategy of plants coexisting in natural ecosystems.
However, it is unclear how plant species differ in these belowground
plastic responses and how they co-vary. 2. Plastic responses to soil
phosphorus (P)-rich patches of absorptive root, mycorrhizal, and exudation
traits of 17 co-existing arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) tree species in a
subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest were investigated using a root
bag method. 3. There was considerable variation and heterogeneity in
species-specific responses to P-rich patches. Negative log response ratios
usually occurred for high-cost traits and positive log response ratios for
low-cost traits. There were tradeoffs in the plastic responses between
root acid phosphatase activity and extraradical hyphal length, which were
unaffected by phylogeny, and between root acid phosphatase activity and
specific root length. Thicker-rooted species responded to P-rich patches
more through root exudation plasticity than mycorrhizal plasticity.
Thinner-rooted species relied more on mycorrhizal plasticity. 4.
Synthesis. Our results revealed diverse P foraging strategies comprising
different combinations of plastic adjustments in absorptive root,
mycorrhizal, and exudation traits among coexisting AM tree species, which
suggest the potential for complementary exploitation of different soil P
sources.