Some Trees Cultivate Bacteria In Order To Grow in Unfavorable Soil

As primary producers trees serve the important function of providing food for the animal kingdom. To this end they are wonderfully adapted to convert the energy of the sun into a form that is accessible to the rest of the living beings on earth. Sometimes however they are required to overcome undesirable environmental conditions in order to survive and thrive. And according to a recent study in France, some species of trees growing in unfavorable acidic forest soils have developed the ability to cultivate specific root microbes to assist them in their growth!

The trees in question?

The research was conducted by studying the soil surrounding the root areas of three forest tree species: Beech, Oak and Norway spruce.

According to the results…

The soil associated with the roots of Beech and Oak had high concentrations of mineral weathering bacteria. However this was not observed in the soil surrounding Norway spruce trees. So clearly only certain tree species are capable of this neat ‘farming’ trick.

Why bother?

Acidic forest soils do not contain sufficient inorganic nutrients required for tree growth and consequently this is a growth-limiting factor for trees growing in such conditions. Mineral weathering bacteria are those microbes involved in the biogeochemical processes that convert these inorganic minerals in the soil into nutrients like iron that can be taken up by the trees.

So the discovery that some tree species can actively cultivate these microbes using their physiology has significant repercussions especially in the context of climatic changes occurring at the present time that may considerably change the spatial distribution of forest tree species in the future.

Via: Science Daily