Native arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi promote native grassland diversity and suppress weeds 4 years following inoculation

Restoration quality of native prairie can be improved by reintroducing key organisms from the plant microbiome such as arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. Here, we assess whether positive effects a inoculation observed during first growing season remained at end fourth season. In 2016, an experiment was initiated that assessed response restored tallgrass to density gradient fungi ranging 0 8,192 kg/ha. First year results indicated establishment benefited high but not low densities inocula, resulting in improvements abundance, richness, and diversity. To these persist later seasons, resampled restoration 2020 analyzed data similarly. Results pattern responses had persisted; after four seasons demonstrated total diversity reduced non-native abundance. Additionally, amendment were initially effective found reduce abundance season, suggesting amplified via plant-AM fungal feedback suppress weeds following introduction lesser amounts AM