Competition and Coexistence: The Role of Soil Community Feedback

摘要 贝弗竞争与共存：土壤群落反馈的作用 本研究将探讨通过土壤群落的反馈如何改变植物之间竞争的结果。已知植物物种的身份会改变其相关土壤群落的组成。这些变化可能会对电厂的性能产生积极或消极的影响。这种反馈对植物的生长有很强的影响，但在自然界中这种反馈的作用却很少被研究。该项目的重点是两个研究充分的植物物种，黄花和Panicum sphaerocarpon。研究人员多次观察到这两个物种之间由于土壤群落变化而产生的负反馈。该项目将使用平行的温室和田间实验来测试这种反馈是否会影响这些物种之间竞争的结果和强度。这些结果将被用于参数化种群动态模型，研究人员将评估土壤群落对维持植物生物多样性的贡献。

ABSTRACT 96-15941 Bever Competition and coexistence: The role of soil community feedback This study will examine how feedback through the soil community changes the outcome of competition between plants. The identity of plant species is known to change the composition of their associated soil community. These changes may then influence the plant's performance-either positively or negatively. Such feedback could exert strong effects on the growth of plants, but the role of such feedbacks in natural communities has rarely been investigated. This project focuses on two well-studied plant species, Anthoxanthum odoratum and Panicum sphaerocarpon. The investigators have repeatedly observed negative feedbacks between these two species resulting from changes in the soil communities. This project will using parallel greenhouse and field experiments to test whether this feedback influences the outcome and intensity of competition between these species. These results will be used to parameterize population dynamic models with which the investigators will evaluate the soil community's contribution to the maintenance of plant biodiversity.