Amazonian understory forests change phosphorus acquisition strategies under elevated CO2

作者：Nathielly P. Martins, Lucia Fuchslueger, Laynara F. Lugli, Oscar J. Valverde-Barrantes, R.J. Norby, Iain P. Hartley, Izabela Aleixo, Fabrício Baccaro, Bárbara Brum, Crisvaldo Souza, Carine M. Cola, Raffaello Di Ponzio, Amanda Damasceno, Tomas F. Domingues, Vanessa R. Ferrer, Katrin Fleischer, Sabrina Garcia, Alacimar Viana Guedes, Florian Hofhansl, David M. Lapola, Juliane G. Menezes, Anna C. M. Moraes, Ana Caroline Miron, Leonardo Ramos de Oliveira, Cilene Palheta, Iokanam S. Pereira, Maria Pires Martins, Gyovanni Ribeiro, Jéssica Schmeisk Rosa, Anja Rammig, Flavia D. Santana, Yago R. Santos, Lara Siebert Silva, Bruno Takeshi T. Portela, Gabriela Ushida, Carlos A. Quesada · 发表于：Nature Communications · 年份：2026 · DOI：10.1038/s41467-026-72098-0 · 被引用次数：1 · 研究领域：Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics、Amazonian Archaeology and Ethnohistory、Plant Water Relations and Carbon Dynamics

Abstract The potential for the Amazon forest to continue functioning as a carbon (C) sink strongly depends on soil nutrient availability, particularly phosphorus (P), and on plants’ ability to adjust nutrient acquisition strategies. However, limited experimental evidence constrains the mechanistic representation of nutrient–carbon interactions in climate change models. Here, we conducted an experiment in a P-depleted Amazonian understory forest, increasing atmospheric CO₂ in-situ by approximately 300 ppm using open-top chambers. We show that elevated CO₂ (eCO₂) induced contrasting responses by roots along the litter–soil continuum that could facilitate nutrient uptake. Litter-layer roots maintained net productivity but increased specific root length under eCO₂, indicating enhanced foraging efficiency. In contrast, soil-based roots reduced productivity but showed increased arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization. Additionally, eCO 2 caused a significant decline in soil organic P. Our findings suggest that eCO₂ intensifies competition for P between plant roots and soil microorganisms, leading to changes in litter and soil P pools and exacerbating already strong nutrient constraints. Such spatially divergent adjustments in root nutrient acquisition strategies may critically regulate plant soil C and P coupling and should be incorporated into assessments of Amazon forest resilience under future climate change.