Scholarlink

Aims <p>Plant–plant interactions shape community structure and ecosystem functioning, and outcomes can shift between facilitation and competition depending on neighbor identity and soil fertility. However, responses of tropical legume species to intra- and interspecific neighbors under phosphorus (P)-limited conditions remain poorly understood. Here, we examine how tropical legumes grow and acquire resources under different neighbor identities across contrasting P levels.</p> Methods <p>Seedlings of four tropical legumes (<i>Crotalaria assamica, C. pallida, Flemingia macrophylla,</i> and <i>Ototropis multiflora</i>) were grown for seven months in a glasshouse under three P levels (low: 10&#xa0;mg/kg, medium: 20&#xa0;mg/kg, high: 50&#xa0;mg/kg) and subjected to intraspecific, interspecific, and no-competition treatments. Above and belowground traits were measured using standard methods.</p> Results <p>Plants with interspecific neighbors produced greater aboveground and total biomass than intraspecific and no-competition treatments. In contrast, intraspecific interactions increased belowground biomass and resource-acquisition traits. Relative neighbor effect (RNE) varied among species and P levels. <i>C. pallida</i> shifted from facilitation at low P to competition at high P, while <i>C. assamica</i> showed consistent facilitation. <i>F. macrophylla</i> and <i>O. multiflora</i> responded weakly. Interspecific interactions increased biomass gains (1.27–1.55&#xa0;g), whereas intraspecific interactions resulted in near-zero or negative gains (−0.17&#xa0;g in <i>C. pallida</i>). Under low P, <i>C. assamica</i> and <i>F. macrophylla</i> lost biomass (−1.75 and −0.74&#xa0;g). Interspecific interactions enhanced leaf nutrients and antioxidant activity, improving nutrient uptake and stress tolerance.</p> Conclusion <p>P availability and neighboring plant identity jointly determine plant performance in tropical legumes, with interspecific interactions promoting growth and stress tolerance, especially under P limitation.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Tropical legume plants benefit more when grown with interspecific plants than intraspecific under soil phosphorus-limited conditions

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年8月4日

查看全文
  • Jan Sher,
  • Yun-Bing Zhang,
  • Ghulam Mujtaba Shah,
  • Stephen P. Bonser,
  • Jiao-Lin Zhang

摘要

Aims

Plant–plant interactions shape community structure and ecosystem functioning, and outcomes can shift between facilitation and competition depending on neighbor identity and soil fertility. However, responses of tropical legume species to intra- and interspecific neighbors under phosphorus (P)-limited conditions remain poorly understood. Here, we examine how tropical legumes grow and acquire resources under different neighbor identities across contrasting P levels.

Methods

Seedlings of four tropical legumes (Crotalaria assamica, C. pallida, Flemingia macrophylla, and Ototropis multiflora) were grown for seven months in a glasshouse under three P levels (low: 10 mg/kg, medium: 20 mg/kg, high: 50 mg/kg) and subjected to intraspecific, interspecific, and no-competition treatments. Above and belowground traits were measured using standard methods.

Results

Plants with interspecific neighbors produced greater aboveground and total biomass than intraspecific and no-competition treatments. In contrast, intraspecific interactions increased belowground biomass and resource-acquisition traits. Relative neighbor effect (RNE) varied among species and P levels. C. pallida shifted from facilitation at low P to competition at high P, while C. assamica showed consistent facilitation. F. macrophylla and O. multiflora responded weakly. Interspecific interactions increased biomass gains (1.27–1.55 g), whereas intraspecific interactions resulted in near-zero or negative gains (−0.17 g in C. pallida). Under low P, C. assamica and F. macrophylla lost biomass (−1.75 and −0.74 g). Interspecific interactions enhanced leaf nutrients and antioxidant activity, improving nutrient uptake and stress tolerance.

Conclusion

P availability and neighboring plant identity jointly determine plant performance in tropical legumes, with interspecific interactions promoting growth and stress tolerance, especially under P limitation.