Increasing food demand coupled with climate change pose a great challenge to agricultural systems. In this review we summarize recent advances in our knowledge of how plants, together with their associated microbiota, shape rhizosphere processes. We address (molecular) mechanisms operating at the plant\uffe2\uff80\uff93microbe-soil interface and aim to link this knowledge with actual and potential avenues for intensifying agricultural systems, while at the same time reducing irrigation water, fertilizer inputs and pesticide use. Combining in-depth knowledge about above and belowground plant traits will not only significantly advance our mechanistic understanding of involved processes but also allow for more informed decisions regarding agricultural practices and plant breeding. Including belowground plant-soil-microbe interactions in our breeding efforts will help to select crops resilient to abiotic and biotic environmental stresses and ultimately enable us to produce sufficient food in a more sustainable agriculture in the upcoming decades.How multiple abiotic stress factors combined with herbivory affect interactions within plant communities is poorly understood. We ask how large herbivore grazing affects the direction of plant\uffe2\uff80\uff93plant interactions along an environmental gradient in a salt marsh.
LocationGrazed (cattle) and ungrazed salt marshes of the Dutch Wadden Sea island Schiermonnikoog. Here, patches of tall plant communities, dominated by the tough, unpalatable species Juncus maritimus Lam., are found alternating with low\uffe2\uff80\uff90statured, intensively grazed plant communities.
MethodsAlong the inundation gradient, we measured plant species composition and plant species traits (specific leaf area, specific root length, maximum height and abundance) inside and outside J.\uffc2\uffa0maritimus patches in grazed and ungrazed areas. In addition, we measured soil structure parameters (bulk density, soil porosity, clay depth), multiple limiting conditions for plant growth (soil salinity, soil redox, plant canopy light interception), plant biomass, presence of herbivores and abundance of soil macro\uffe2\uff80\uff90detritivores.
ResultsUnder grazing, the palatable grasses Elytrigia atherica (Link) Kergu\uffc3\uffa9len and Festuca rubra L. were positively associated with J.\uffc2\uffa0maritimus, while shade\uffe2\uff80\uff90intolerant Puccinellia maritima (Huds.) Parl. and Juncus gerardii\uffc2\uffa0 Loisel. were negatively associated with this species. Furthermore, macro\uffe2\uff80\uff90detritivore presence was higher inside J.\uffc2\uffa0maritimus patches. In ungrazed areas E.\uffc2\uffa0atherica and F.\uffc2\uffa0rubra were negatively associated with J.\uffc2\uffa0maritimus, while P.\uffc2\uffa0maritima and J.\uffc2\uffa0gerardii were rare. In both grazed and ungrazed conditions the directions of species associations were independent of the inundation gradient. Analysis of species traits and abiotic conditions suggested that associational resistance (a facilitation type) was important in grazed areas. In ungrazed areas, light competition was the likely dominant process.
ConclusionsThe direction of species associations within these salt marsh communities was strongly affected by grazing, not by the underlying stress gradient. Measurement of species traits indicated that plant\uffe2\uff80\uff93plant interactions shifted from competitive to facilitative under grazing. Besides grazing, cross\uffe2\uff80\uff90trophic facilitation of soil disturbing macro\uffe2\uff80\uff90detritivores may play an important \uffe2\uff80\uff93 thus far ignored \uffe2\uff80\uff93 role in structuring plant communities.
", "keywords": ["Plant traits", "2. Zero hunger", "0106 biological sciences", "Salt marsh", "Macro-detritivores", "SUCCESSION", "Stress gradient hypothesis", "PREDICTIONS", "COMPETITION", "HALOPHYTES", "15. Life on land", "ALKALI GRASSLANDS", "FACILITATION", "01 natural sciences", "POSITIVE SPECIES INTERACTIONS", "Grazing", "Plant-plant interactions", "FUNCTIONAL TRAITS", "Trampling", "Orchestia gammarellus Pallas. 1766", "BIOTURBATION", "Facilitation", "Juncus maritimus Lam.", "VEGETATION", "Multiple stressors"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.12317"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Journal%20of%20Vegetation%20Science", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1111/jvs.12317", "name": "item", "description": "10.1111/jvs.12317", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1111/jvs.12317"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2015-06-24T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "PMC9579094", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-06-25T16:37:26Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2022-06-22", "title": "Harnessing belowground processes for sustainable intensification of agricultural systems", "description": "AbstractIncreasing food demand coupled with climate change pose a great challenge to agricultural systems. In this review we summarize recent advances in our knowledge of how plants, together with their associated microbiota, shape rhizosphere processes. We address (molecular) mechanisms operating at the plant\uffe2\uff80\uff93microbe-soil interface and aim to link this knowledge with actual and potential avenues for intensifying agricultural systems, while at the same time reducing irrigation water, fertilizer inputs and pesticide use. Combining in-depth knowledge about above and belowground plant traits will not only significantly advance our mechanistic understanding of involved processes but also allow for more informed decisions regarding agricultural practices and plant breeding. Including belowground plant-soil-microbe interactions in our breeding efforts will help to select crops resilient to abiotic and biotic environmental stresses and ultimately enable us to produce sufficient food in a more sustainable agriculture in the upcoming decades.