This study examines the trade-off between arbuscular mycorrhiza and root hair traits across multiple scales in grassland plants, finding consistent patterns at community and interspecific levels but not at intraspecific or intra-individual levels.

bioRxiv · Oct 6, 2026 · PreprintEcology

Still standing: persistence traits capture belowground plant functions beyond resource exploration and acquisition

Shersingh Joseph Tumber‐Dávila, Karl Andraczek, Daniel C. Laughlin, Helge Bruelheide, Aline Bertolosi Bombo, Ying Fan, Alessandra Fidelis, Grégoire T. Freschet, Lena Hartmann, Justus Hennecke, Cody Coyotee Howard, Saheed Olaide Jimoh, Jitka Klimešová, Liesje Mommer, Tsumbedzo Ramalevha, , Joana Bergmann

The paper integrates belowground plant traits to show persistence strategies are a critical dimension of plant function beyond resource acquisition and exploration.

New Phytologist · Sep 1, 2026Peer-reviewedPlant Biology

Predicting Rhizosphere Competence Related Catabolic Gene Clusters in plant-associated bacteria with RhizoSMASH

Yuze Li, Mingxue Sun, Jos M. Raaijmakers, Liesje Mommer, Fusuo S. Zhang, Chunxu Song, Marnix H. Medema

The paper develops RhizoSMASH, a tool to annotate catabolic gene clusters in plant-associated bacteria, revealing niche specialization and predicting rhizosphere competence.

Nature Communications · Sep 25, 2025Peer-reviewedBioinformatics

On the diversity of nematode antagonists in an agricultural soil, and their steerability by root-knot nematode density and cover crops

Sara Giulia Cazzaniga, Philippe Belliard, Joris J.M. van Steenbrugge, S.J.J. van den Elsen, Carin Lombaers, Johnny H. M. Visser, Leendert P. G. Molendijk, Jose G. Maciá‐Vicente, J. Postma, Liesje Mommer, Johannes Helder

The paper investigates how root-knot nematode density and cover crops affect the diversity and activity of nematode antagonists in agricultural soil.

Soil Biology and Biochemistry · Dec 14, 2024Peer-reviewedEcology