Tolerance to land-use changes through natural modulations of the plant microbiome

Abstract

Land-use changes pose a threat to many ecosystems and are a major driver of species loss. Adaptations to altered environments or migration to more suitable habitats are potential mechanisms to resist global change, which can, however, lag behind rapid anthropogenic alterations of the environment. Our data show that rapid natural modulations of the plant microbiome in response to land-use change directly affect plant phenotype and performance, and thus increase plant tolerance to environmental changes. In a common garden experiment, the effects of the microbiome on the plant phenotype were stronger than the direct effects of fertilizer application and mowing. This finding was confirmed in a subsequent controlled laboratory experiment using plants inoculated with land-use-specific microbiomes. Therefore, natural modulations of the plant microbiome may be the key to species persistence and ecosystem stability. A prerequisite for this microbiome-mediated tolerance is the availability of diverse local sources of microorganisms that can function as a resource for rapid modulations in response to change. Thus, conservation efforts must protect microbial diversity, which can help mitigate the effects of global change and facilitate environmental and human health.