Deciphering the role of specialist and generalist plant–microbial interactions as drivers of plant–soil feedback

Marina Semchenko, Kathryn E. Barry, Franciska T. Vries, Liesje Mommer, Mari Moora, Jose G. Maciá‐Vicente

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

Abstract

Feedback between plants and soil microbial communities can be a powerful driver of vegetation dynamics. Plants elicit changes in the soil microbiome that either promote or suppress conspecifics at the same location, thereby regulating population density-dependence and species co-existence. Such effects are often attributed to the accumulation of host-specific antagonistic or beneficial microbiota in the rhizosphere. However, the identity and host-specificity of the microbial taxa involved are rarely empirically assessed. Here we review the evidence for host-specificity in plant-associated microbes and propose that specific plant–soil feedbacks can also be driven by generalists. We outline the potential mechanisms by which generalist microbial pathogens, mutualists and decomposers can generate differential effects on plant hosts and synthesize existing evidence to predict these effects as a function of plant investments into defence, microbial mutualists and dispersal. Importantly, the capacity of generalist microbiota to drive plant–soil feedbacks depends not only on the traits of individual plants but also on the phylogenetic and functional diversity of plant communities. Identifying factors that promote specialization or generalism in plant–microbial interactions and thereby modulate the impact of microbiota on plant performance will advance our understanding of the mechanisms underlying plant–soil feedback and the ways it contributes to plant co-existence.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1929-1944
Number of pages16
JournalNew Phytologist
Volume234
Issue number6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The authors would like to thank John Davison for insightful discussions and Davide Francioli, Chris Sweeney, and Jonathan W. Leff for sharing data on plant–fungal associations. MS received funding from the EU Horizon 2020 programme under the Marie Sklodowska‐Curie grant no. 840035 PlantSoilGradients. FTdV was supported by ERC‐StG SHIFTFEEDBACK (851678). LM and JGM‐V were supported by NWO‐Vidi grant no. 864.14.006. MM was supported by the Estonian Research Council (PRG1065) and by the European Regional Development Fund (Centre of Excellence EcolChange).

Funding Information:
The authors would like to thank John Davison for insightful discussions and Davide Francioli, Chris Sweeney, and Jonathan W. Leff for sharing data on plant–fungal associations. MS received funding from the EU Horizon 2020 programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant no. 840035 PlantSoilGradients. FTdV was supported by ERC-StG SHIFTFEEDBACK (851678). LM and JGM-V were supported by NWO-Vidi grant no. 864.14.006. MM was supported by the Estonian Research Council (PRG1065) and by the European Regional Development Fund (Centre of Excellence EcolChange).

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2022 New Phytologist Foundation.

Keywords

  • functional traits
  • fungal pathogens
  • generalist microbiota
  • host-specificity
  • litter decomposition
  • mycorrhizal fungi
  • plant–soil interactions
  • root exudates

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