Carboxylate exudation and phosphorus acquisition in eucalypts

桉树被认为依靠菌根获得磷(P)。利用田间叶片锰浓度代替根际羧酸盐，然后在低磷溶液中进行植物生长，结果表明，生长在缺磷土壤上的部分桉树（但不是所有桉树）从根部释放羧酸盐。这一性状是变形科植物获取土壤磷的一种策略，但被认为桉树不会使用。这一改变游戏规则的发现挑战了目前桉树总是依赖菌根来获取磷的教条。该项目将更广泛地探索这种新描述的特性对桉树功能的意义，并产生对保护、恢复和林业活动重要的结果。

Eucalypts are thought to rely on mycorrhizas to acquire phosphorus (P). Using leaf manganese concentrations in the field to proxy rhizosphere carboxylates, followed by plant growth in low P-solutions, it was shown that some, but not all eucalypts that grow on P-impoverished soils release carboxylates from their roots. This trait is a strategy of Proteaceae to access soil P, but assumed not to be used by eucalypts. This game-changing discovery challenges the current dogma that eucalypts invariably rely on mycorrhizas to acquire P. This project will explore the significance of this newly-described trait for functioning of eucalypts more broadly and produce results that are important for conservation, restoration and forestry activities.