TY - GEN A1 - Griebenow, Stian A1 - Makunga, Nokwanda P. A1 - Privett, Sean A1 - Strauss, Paula A1 - Veste, Maik A1 - Kleinert, Aleysia A1 - Valentine, Alexander J. T1 - Soil pH influences the organic acid metabolism and exudation in cluster roots of protea species from the Mediterranean-type fynbos ecosystem, Western Cape, South Africa T2 - Rhizosphere N2 - In nutrient-poor ecosystems, certain plant families have evolved specific adaptations for phosphate acquisition, namely cluster roots or proteoid roots. Cluster rooted species have a unique suite of adaptations that enable them to survive in nutrient poor ecosystems, such as the Fynbos biome of South Africa. The Fynbos biome has heterogeneous soils which caused radiation of varying soil pH within small localised areas. Previous studies on cluster rooted species ignored the possibility that cluster root functioning may differ at varying soil pH levels and soil types. Therefore, two native Fynbos protea species, Protea cynaroides (L.) L. and Protea obtusifolia H.Buek ex Meisn. were compared to assess the impact of different soil pH levels on organic acid metabolism and exudation in cluster rooted species. Our results show that cluster roots of the acidic-soil grown P. cynaroides is more effective and more efficient than that of the alkaline-soil grown P. obtusifolia. Our findings indicate that the mechanisms for P acquisition vary greatly, depending on substrate and plant organ type. This suggests that the metabolism of each species is adapted to specific soil pH and that these species have evolutionary adapted their P acquisition mechanisms for these extreme soils. The limited nutrient availability and variation in soil pH South African soils has led to various localised adaptations for cluster rooted species. KW - Phosphorus KW - Nutrient poor ecosystems KW - Root research Y1 - 2022 UR - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2452219822000167 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rhisph.2022.100486 VL - Vol. 21 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Gypser, Stella A1 - Freese, Dirk T1 - Mobilization of P from crystalline and amorphous Fe- and Al-hydroxides T2 - EGU General Assembly 2020 KW - Phosphorus KW - Sorption KW - Hydroxides Y1 - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-2871 ER -