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Anthropogenic impact represents a major pressure on ecosystems, yet little
is known about how it affects symbiotic relationships, such as mycorrhizal
symbiosis, which plays a crucial role in ecosystem functioning. We
analyzed the effects of three human impact types – increasing urbanity,
introduction of alien plant species (alienness) and modifications in plant
species distribution ranges (as a proxy for naturalness) – on plant
community mycorrhization and arbuscular mycorrhization (indicating the
degree of forming mycorrhizal symbiosis at plant community level using the
relative abundance of mycorrhizal and arbuscular mycorrhizal plants,
respectively). The study was carried out in three habitat types, each
dominated by a distinct mycorrhizal type – ectomycorrhizal woodlands,
ericoid mycorrhizal heathlands and arbuscular mycorrhizal grasslands - at
the regional scale in the Netherlands. The response of community
mycorrhization and arbuscular mycorrhization to anthropogenic influence
showed contrasting patterns, depending on the specific aspect of human
impact. Community mycorrhization responded negatively to urbanity and
positively to increasing alienness, while arbuscular mycorrhization showed
the reverse trend. More natural heathlands were found to be more
mycorrhizal and less arbuscular mycorrhizal. The strongest responses were
detected in woodlands and heathlands, while mycorrhization in grasslands
was relatively insensitive to human impact. Our study highlights the
importance of considering mycorrhizal symbiosis in understanding and
quantifying the effects of anthropogenic influence on plant communities,
especially in woodlands and heathlands.
208 views reported since publication in 2019.