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Restoration age affects microbial-herbaceous plant interactions in an oak woodland
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  • Rachel Brant,
  • Christine Edwards,
  • John Reid,
  • Burgund Bassuner,
  • Noah Dell,
  • Brad Delfeld,
  • Scott Mangan,
  • Victoria de la Paz Bernasconi Torres,
  • Matthew Albrecht
Rachel Brant
Missouri Botanical Garden

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Christine Edwards
Missouri Botanical Garden
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John Reid
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
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Burgund Bassuner
Missouri Botanical Garden
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Noah Dell
Missouri Botanical Garden
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Brad Delfeld
Missouri Botanical Garden
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Scott Mangan
Arkansas State University
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Victoria de la Paz Bernasconi Torres
Missouri Botanical Garden
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Matthew Albrecht
Missouri Botanical Garden
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Abstract

In degraded ecosystems, soil microbial communities (SMCs) may influence the outcomes of ecological restoration. Restoration practices can affect SMCs, though it is unclear how variation in the onset of restoration activities in woodlands affects SMCs, how those SMCs influence the performance of hard-to-establish woodland forbs, and how different woodland forbs shape SMCs. In this study, we quantified soil properties and species abundances in an oak woodland restoration chronosequence (young, intermediate, and old restorations). We measured growth of three woodland forb species when inoculated with live whole-soil from young, intermediate, or old restorations. We used DNA metabarcoding to characterize SMCs of each inoculum treatment and the soil after conditioning by each plant species. Our goals were to: 1) understand how time since onset of restoration affected soil abiotic properties, plant communities, and SMCs in a restoration chronosequence, 2) test growth-responses of three forb species to whole-soil inoculum from restoration sites, and 3) characterize changes in SMCs before and after conditioning by each forb species. Younger restored woodlands had greater fire-sensitive tree species and lower concentrations of soil phosphorous than intermediate or older restored woodlands. Bacterial and fungal soil communities varied significantly among sites. Forbs exhibited greater growth in soil from the young restoration. Each forb species developed unique soil microbial community. Our results highlight how restoration practices affect SMCs, which can in turn affect growth of hard-to-establish forb species. Our results also highlight that the choice of forb species can have major effects on SMCs, with long-term potential consequences for restoration success.
20 Nov 2023Submitted to Ecology and Evolution
22 Nov 2023Submission Checks Completed
22 Nov 2023Assigned to Editor
01 Apr 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
11 Apr 20241st Revision Received
12 Apr 2024Submission Checks Completed
12 Apr 2024Assigned to Editor
12 Apr 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
17 Apr 2024Editorial Decision: Accept