Native soilborne pathogens equalise differences in competitive ability between plants of contrasting nutrient-acquisition strategies

Soilborne pathogens can contribute to the maintenance of local plant diversity by reducing differences in competitive ability between co-occurring plant species. It has been hypothesized that efficient phosphorus (P) acquisition by plants in P-impoverished ecosystems might trade off against resistance to root pathogens. This could help explain high plant diversity in severely nutrient-impoverished ecosystems. However, empirical evidence of such a trade-off remains scarce.
In hyperdiverse shrublands in south-western Australia, non-mycorrhizal cluster-rooted Proteaceae are very efficient at acquiring P. However, Proteaceae co-occur with many other plant species using other P-acquisition strategies, such as ectomycorrhizal (ECM) associations.
In a glasshouse experiment, we grew Proteaceae and ECM plant species from hyperdiverse shrublands alone and in competition with each other, and in the presence or absence of native soilborne pathogens (Phytophthora spp.). We hypothesized that native...