Precipitation, rather than temperature drives coordination of multidimensional root traits with ectomycorrhizal fungi in alpine coniferous forests

The interactions between roots and mycorrhizal fungi are critical for our understanding of the multidimensional root economics space. Our knowledge on their relationships comes mainly from arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) plants, and less is known about how roots are coordinated with ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungal communities, especially in ECM-dominated alpine forests that are highly sensitive to climate change worldwide.

Here, we investigated the coordination between roots and ECM fungi and their drivers by measuring multiple root traits, ECM fungal composition and environmental factors of 47 coniferous populations across the alpine coniferous forests on the Tibetan Plateau.

Our results reveal two independent fine-root trait dimensions, i.e., root foraging dimension and root uptake dimension, which are represented by root diameter-specific root length, root tissue density-root N concentration. Importantly, the hyphal exploration-type-based ECM foraging correlated significantly with both ..., We investigated the coordination between roots and ECM fungi and their drivers by measuring multiple root traits, ECM fungal composition and environmental factors of 47 coniferous populations across the alpine coniferous forests on the Tibetan Plateau., , Column, Entry, Description, Unit

* A, Site, Sample site,
* B, Forest type, Forest type,
* C, MAP, mean annual precipitation, mm
* D, MAT, mean annual temperature, ℃
* E, pH, Soil pH,
* F, STC, Soil total carbon, g/kg
* G, STN, Soil total nitrogen, g/kg
* H, STP, Soil total phosphorus, g/kg
* I, DOC, Dissolved organic carbon, mg/kg
* J, AP, Available phosphorus, mg/kg
* K, IN, Inorganic nitrogen, mg/kg
* L, RD, Root diameter, mm
* M, SRL, Specific root length, m/g
* N, SRA, Specific root area, cm2/g
* O, BRI, Branching intensity, cm-1
* P, RTD, Root tissue density, g/cm3
* Q, RNC, Root nitrogen concentration, g/kg
* R, Contact hyphal exploration type, The relative proportion of contact hyphal exploration type, %
* S, Short-distance hyphal exploration type, The relative proportion of short-distance hyphal exploration type, %
* T, Medium-distance hyphal exploration type, The relative proportion of medium-distance hyphal exploration type, %
* U, Long-distance hyphal exploration type, The r...