Work

Fencing alters the coordination among absorptive fine roots, acid phosphatase activity, and mycorrhizal fungal traits in alpine grassland plants

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: ABSTRACT Plants employ diverse strategies to acquire phosphorus (P) from soils, including variations in root morphology, root acid phosphatase activity (APase), and arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis. However, whether these strategies are differentially coordinated among species, and how such coordination responds to processes induced by fencing, including grazing exclusion and altered P inputs, remains largely unclear. To address this knowledge gap, we investigated three alpine grassland types (alpine meadows, alpine steppes, and alpine desert steppes) that have undergone long-term (>10 years) artificial fencing. We measured eight root traits of seven alpine plant species under fenced and unfenced conditions and examined how root trait networks responded to fencing. We found that fencing shifted species-level root traits toward a resource-conservative strategy, as indicated by increased root diameter and root tissue density of absorptive fine roots. Roots within fenced areas exhibited higher arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization, whereas roots within unfenced areas displayed faster APase and thinner roots, suggesting that fenced species tend to rely on mycorrhizal symbiosis ('outsourcing' strategy) to enhance P acquisition, while species in unfenced areas tended to acquire P by expanding soil exploration ('do-it-yourself' strategy) and increasing APase ('mining' strategy). while species in unfenced areas tended to acquire P by expanding soil exploration (“do-it-yourself” strategy) and increasing APase activity (“mining” strategy). Furthermore, fencing shifted the central hub of the trait network from APase to root branching intensity. We conclude that alpine grassland species exhibit distinct root trait coordination patterns associated with different P acquisition strategies. Moreover, fencing modifies the coordination of these measured below-ground traits, trending from an acquisitive mode characterized by higher APase toward a more conservative profile primarily manifested by adjusted absorptive fine-root morphology.

Source: Environmental and Experimental Botany

DOI: 10.1016/j.envexpbot.2026.106408

Authors: Xiangtao Wang, Zhenxing Zhou, Xianlei Gao, Changxiao Li, Puchang Wang

Institutions: Guizhou Normal University, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Tibet University, Southwest University

Language: English

Topic: Mycorrhizal Fungi and Plant Interactions

Subfield: Plant Science

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDGs: Life on land, Zero hunger

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,000