Contribution of Plant Identity and Soil Chemistry to the Structure of Microbial Communities Associated with the Roots of Serpentine-Indifferent Plants

This experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that serpentine soil influences the structure of microbial communities associated with the roots of serpentine-indifferent plants. Using a field survey and manipulative experimentation, the following questions were answered: (1) Do serpentine-indifferent plants associate with distinct microbial populations when grown in serpentine and nonserpentine soil? (2) Are serpentine root-associated microbial communities more phylogenetically clustered than nonserpentine communities? (3) Do serpentine microbes influence plant growth on serpentine? Results from this experiment are useful for understanding how serpentine-indifferent plants leverage microbial associations to withstand a variety of environmental challenges. This is relevant for reclamation efforts on serpentine soil as well as plant-based remediation of industrial areas.