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Synergistic community responses of plants and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to extreme droughts in a cold-temperate grassland
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  • Wei Fu,
  • Baodong Chen,
  • Matthias Rillig,
  • Wang Ma,
  • Chong Xu,
  • Wentao Luo,
  • Honghui Wu,
  • Zhipeng Hao,
  • Hui Wu,
  • Aihua Zhao,
  • Qiang Yu,
  • Xingguo Han
Wei Fu
Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Sciences Chinese Academy of Sciences

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Baodong Chen
Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Sciences Chinese Academy of Sciences
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Matthias Rillig
Freie Universität Berlin
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Wentao Luo
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Honghui Wu
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Zhipeng Hao
Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Sciences Chinese Academy of Sciences
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Aihua Zhao
Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Sciences Chinese Academy of Sciences
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Qiang Yu
National Hulunber Grassland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences
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Xingguo Han
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Abstract

Mutualistic associations between plants and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi may have profound influences on their response to climate changes. Existing theories evaluate the effects of interdependency and environmental filtering on plant-AM fungal community dynamics separately; however, abrupt environmental changes such as climate extremes can provoke duo-impacts on the metacommunity simultaneously. Here, we experimentally tested the relevance of plant and AM fungal community responses to extreme drought (chronic or intense) in a cold temperate grassland. Irrespective of drought intensities, plant species richness and productivity responses were significantly and positively correlated with AM fungal richness and also served as best predictors of AM fungal community shifts. Notably, the robustness of this community synergism increased with drought intensity, likely reflecting increased community interdependence. Network analysis showed a key role of Glomerales in AM fungal interaction with plants, suggesting specific plant-AM fungal pairing. Thus, community interdependence may underpin climate change impact on plant-AM fungal diversity patterns in grasslands.