An exotic invader drives the evolution of plant traits that determine mycorrhizal fungal diversity in a native competitor.

The symbiosis between land plants and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) is one of the most widespread and ancient mutualisms on the planet. However, relatively little is known about the evolution of these symbiotic plant-fungal interactions in natural communities. In this study, we investigated the symbiotic AMF communities of populations of the native plant species Pilea pumila (Urticaceae) with varying histories of coexistence with an non-mycorrhizal invasive species, Alliaria petiolata (Brassicaceae), known to affect mycorrhizal communities. We found that native populations of P. pumila with a long history of coexistence with the invasive species developed more diverse symbiotic AMF communities. This effect was strongest when A. petiolata plants were actively growing with the natives, and in soils with the longest history of A. petiolata growth. These results suggest that despite the ancient and widespread nature of the plant-AMF symbiosis, the plant traits responsible for symbiotic...

陆生植物与丛枝菌根真菌（arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, AMF）之间的共生关系，是地球上分布最广泛、历史最悠久的互利共生关系之一。然而，学界对自然群落中这类植物-真菌共生互作的演化过程仍了解甚少。本研究针对本土植物透茎冷水花（Pilea pumila，荨麻科Urticaceae）的多个种群展开调查，这些种群与已知会影响菌根群落的非菌根入侵物种大蒜芥（Alliaria petiolata，十字花科Brassicaceae）的共存历史各不相同。研究发现，与该入侵物种长期共存的透茎冷水花本土种群，其共生丛枝菌根真菌群落的多样性更高。该效应在大蒜芥与本土植物共同处于活跃生长阶段，以及大蒜芥定植历史最久的土壤中最为显著。上述结果表明，尽管植物-AMF共生关系具有古老且广泛的分布特征，但介导共生过程的植物性状……