Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Autotoxicity of root exudates varies with species identity and soil phosphorus

  • Published:
Ecotoxicology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Root exudate autotoxicity (i.e. root exudates from a given plant have toxic effects on itself) has been recognized to be widespread. Here we examined how plant species identity and soil phosphorus (P) availability influenced this autotoxicity and the possible stoichiometric mechanisms. We conducted an experiment with three species (Luctuca sativa, Sesbania cannabina, and Solidago canadensis), which were subject to four treatments consisting of activated carbon (AC) and soil P. AC addition increased the whole-plant biomass of each species under high P conditions and this AC effect varied strongly with species identity. For Solidago, the relative increase in whole-plant biomass due to AC addition was larger in the low P than in the high P. Root exudate autotoxicity differed between roots and shoots. AC addition decreased root N:P ratios but failed to influence shoot N:P ratios in three species. These findings suggest that soil P enrichment might mediate root exudate autotoxicity and that this P-mediated autotoxicity might be related to root N and P stoichiometry. These patterns and their implications need to be addressed in the context of plant communities.

Highlights

  • Root exudate autotoxicity varied with species identity and soil P.

  • Root exudate autotoxicity differed between roots and shoots.

  • P-mediated autotoxicity might be related to N:P ratios.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

Explore related subjects

Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.

References

  • Abhilasha D, Quintana N, Vivanco J, Joshi J (2008) Do allelopathic compounds in invasive Solidago canadensis s.l. restrain the native European flora? J Ecol 96:993–1001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bais HP, Weir TL, Perry LG, Gilroy S, Vivanco JM (2006) The role of root exudates in rhizosphere interactions with plants and other organisms. Annu Rev Plant Biol 57:233–266

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bauer JT, Shannon SM, Stoops RE, Reynolds HL (2012) Context dependency of the allelopathic effects of Lonicera maackii on seed germination. Plant Ecol 213:1907–1916

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bertin C, Yang X, Weston LA (2003) The role of root exudates and allelochemicals in the rhizosphere. Plant Soil 256:67–83

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bloom AJ, Chapin FS, Mooney HA (1985) Resource limitation in plants—an economic analogy. Annu Rev Ecol Syst 16:363–392

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bu R, Xie J, Yu J, Liao W, Xiao X, Lv J, Wang C, Ye J, Caldero-Urrea A (2016) Autotoxicity in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) seedlings is alleviated by silicon through an increase in the activity of antioxidation enzymes and by mitigation lipid peroxidation. J Plant Biol 59:247–259

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bu R, Xiao X, Liao W, Hu Y, Li J, Lv J, Wang C, Ye J (2018) Exogenous Si alleviation of autotoxicity in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) seed germination is correlated with changes in carbohydrate metabolism. J Plant Growth Reg 37:784–793

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Callaway RM, Aschehoug ET (2000) Invasive plants versus their new and old neighbors: a mechanism for exotic invasion. Science 290:521–523

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen LC, Wang SL, Wang P, Kong CH (2014) Autoinhibition and soil allelochemical (cyclic dipeptide) levels in replanted Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) plantations. Plant Soil 374:793–801

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Crawley MJ (1997) Plant ecology, 2nd edn. Blackwell Science Ltd, Oxford

  • Dakora FD, Phillips DA (2002) Root exudates as mediators of mineral acquisition in low-nutrient environments. Plant Soil 245:35–47

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Editorial Board of Flora of China (1985) Flora of China. Science Press, Beijing

  • Editorial Board of Flora of China (1990) Flora of China. Science Press, Beijing

  • von Elert E, Jüttner F (1997) Phosphorus limitation and not light controls the extracellular release of allelopathic compounds by Trichormus doliolum (Cyanobacteria). Limnol Oceanogr 42:1796–1802

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Elser JJ, Bracken MES, Cleland EE, Gruner DS, Harpole WS, Hillebrand H, Ngai JT, Seabloom EW, Shurlin JB, Smith JE (2007) Global analysis of nitrogen and phosphorus limitation of primary producers in freshwater, marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Ecol Lett 10:1135–1142

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Freschet GT, Violle C, Bourget MY, Scherer-Lorenzen M, Fort F (2018) Allocation, morphology, physiology, architecture: the multiple facets of plant above- and below-ground responses to resource stress. New Phytol 219:1338–1352

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grace JB, Tilman D (1990) Perspectives on plant competition. Academic Press, San Diego, CA

    Google Scholar 

  • Guzmán-Guillén R, Campos A, Machado J, Freitas M, Azevedo J, Pinto E, Almeida A, Cameán AM, Vasconcelos V (2017) Effects of Chrysosporum (Aphanzomenon) ovalisporum extracts containing cylindrospermopsin on growth, photosynthetic capacity, and mineral content of carrots (Daucus carota). Ecotoxicology 26:22–31

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Güsewell S (2004) N:P ratios in terrestrial plants: variation and functional significance. New Phytol 164:243–266

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hinsinger P (2001) Bioavailability of soil inorganic P in the rhizosphere as affected by root-induced chemical changes: a review. Plant Soil 237:173–195

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hobbs RJ, Huenneke LF (1992) Disturbance, diversity, and invasion: implications for conservasion. Conserv Biol 6:324–337

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Inderjit, Wardle DA, Karban R, Callaway RM (2011) The ecosystem and evolutionary contexts of allelopathy. Trends Ecol Evol 26:655–660.

  • Jarchow ME, Cook BJ (2009) Allelopathy as a mechanism for the invasion of Typha angustifolia. Plant Ecol 204:113–124

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson FJ, Vance CP, Allan DL (1996) Phosphorus deficiency in Lupinus albus: altered lateral root development and enhanced expression of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase. Physiol Plant 112:31–41

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Muller CH (1966) The role of chemical inhibition (allelopathy) in vegetational composition. Bull Torre Bot Club 93:332–351

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Munther WE, Fairbrother DE (1980) Allelopathy and autotoxicity in three eastern North American ferns. Am Fern J 70:124–135

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Perry LG, Thelen GC, Ridenour WM, Weir TL, Callaway RM, Paschke MW (2005) Dual role for an allelochemical: (±)-catechin from Centaurea maculosa root exudates regulates conspecific seedling establishment. J Ecol 93:1126–1135

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • van der Putten WH, Bradford MA, Brinkman EP, van de Voorde TFJ, Veen GF (2016) Where, when and how plant-soil feedback matters in a changing world. Funct Ecol 30:1109–1121

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rice EL (1974) Allelopathy. Academic Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Rovira AD (1969) Plant root exudates. Bot Rev 35:35–57

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tharayil N, Bhowmik P, Alpert P, Walker E, Amarasiriwardena D, Xing B (2009) Dual purpose secondary compounds: phytotoxin of Centaurea diffusa also facilitates nutrient uptake. New Phytol 181:424–434

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Veldhuis MP, Berg MP, Loreau M, Olff H (2018) Ecological autocatalysis: a central principle in ecosystem organiation? Ecol Monogr 88:304–319

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang C, Wu B, Jiang K (2019) Allelopathic effects of Canada goldenrod leaf extracts on the seed germination and seedling growth of lettuce reinforced under salt stress. Ecotoxicology 28:103–116

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang MQ, Zhang MK (2004) The comparison of soil properties in different function zones of urban and suburban districts in Hangzhou city. Acta Agr Zhejiang 16:377–380

    Google Scholar 

  • Weir TL, Park SW, Vivanco JM (2004) Biochemical and physiological mechanisms mediated by allechemicals. Curr Opin Plant Biol 7:472–479

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wise MJ, Abrahamson WG (2017) Constraints on the evolution of resistance to gall flies in Solidago altissima: resistance sometimes costs more than it is worth. New Phytol 215:423–433

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xu ZX (2009) Soil nutrients in Hangzhou and fertilization measures. Soils 41:917–920

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zabinski CA, Quinn L, Callaway RM (2002) Phosphorus uptake, not carbon transfer, explains arbuscular mycorrhizal enhancement of Centaurea maculosa in the presence of native grassland species. Funct Ecol 16:758–765

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China (2017YFC1200102) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31570538).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100093, Beijing, China

    Zhen-Kai Sun & Wei-Ming He

  2. Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, 100091, Beijing, China

    Zhen-Kai Sun

  3. College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China

    Wei-Ming He

Authors
  1. Zhen-Kai Sun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Wei-Ming He
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Wei-Ming He.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

This work does not contain any studies with human participants performed by any of the authors. All applicable international, national, and institutional guildlines for the care and use of animals were followed.

Additional information

Publisher’s note: Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Sun, ZK., He, WM. Autotoxicity of root exudates varies with species identity and soil phosphorus. Ecotoxicology 28, 429–434 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-019-02035-z

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-019-02035-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation