Drought Eliminates the Difference in Root Trait Plasticity and Mycorrhizal Responsiveness of Two Semiarid Grassland Species with Contrasting Root System.

Root traits and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are important in determining the access of plants to soil resources. However, whether plants with different root systems (i.e., taproot vs. fibrous-root) exhibit different root trait plasticity and mycorrhizal responsiveness under drought remains largely unexplored. Tap-rooted and fibrous-rooted were grown in monocultures in sterilized and live soils, followed by a drought treatment. Biomass, root traits, root colonization by AM fungi, and nutrient availability were evaluated. Drought decreased biomass and root diameter but increased the root:shoot ratio (RSR), specific root length (SRL), soil NO-N, and available P for the two species. Under control and drought conditions, soil sterilization significantly increased the RSR, SRL, and soil NO-N for , but this only occurs under drought condition for . Soil sterilization significantly reduced AM fungal root colonization of both species, but drought significantly increased it in live soil. In water-abundant conditions, tap-rooted may depend more on AM fungi than fibrous-rooted ; however, under drought conditions, AM fungi are of equal importance in favoring both plant species to forage soil resources. These findings provide new insights for understanding the resource utilization strategies under climate change.