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Ectomycorrhizal colonization and intraspecific variation in growth responses of lodgepole pine

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Abstract

Across different host plant species, the effects of mycorrhizal colonization on host growth parameters can vary, but intraspecific variation in this relationship has rarely been measured. We tested the direction and consistency of the relationship between ectomycorrhizal colonization level and growth responses across seed families of Pinus contorta var. latifolia. Root tips of seedlings from eight full sib seed families varied in levels of ectomycorrhizal fungal colonization from 39% to 100%. We observed positive, negative, or neutral relationships between colonization level and shoot mass, depending on plant family. For the majority of seed families no relationship was observed between colonization level and root mass; however, two seed families showed negative relationships. Shoot height differed only by seed family. Results from our study indicate that the relationship between colonization level and host growth depends on host genotype. We suggest that models of plant intraspecific interactions should consider ectomycorrhizal associations when assessing phenotypic variability.

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Acknowledgments

Financial support was provided by a scholarship to J.K. from le Fonds québécois de la recherché sur la nature et les technologies and funding from an NSERC Discovery Grant and BC Forest Science Program Grant to M.J. and NSERC Discovery Grant to R.T. We are grateful to Aaron Patterson who provided technical assistance in the greenhouse and to Michael Carlson of British Columbia Ministry of Forests, Research Branch, Kalamalka Forestry Center, who generously provided seeds for the experiment. Thoughtful discussions with Sally Aitken and Suzanne Simard greatly improved the design of this experiment and Jason Hoeksema provided insightful feedback on the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, 3529-6270 University Boulevard, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 1Z4

    Justine Karst & Roy Turkington

  2. Biology and Physical Geography Unit, University of British Columbia Okanagan, 3333 University Way, Kelowna, BC, Canada, V1V 1V7

    Melanie D. Jones

  3. Biodiversity Research Center, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 1Z4

    Roy Turkington

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  1. Justine Karst
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  2. Melanie D. Jones
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  3. Roy Turkington
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Correspondence to Justine Karst.

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Karst, J., Jones, M.D. & Turkington, R. Ectomycorrhizal colonization and intraspecific variation in growth responses of lodgepole pine. Plant Ecol 200, 161–165 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-008-9443-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-008-9443-9

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