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<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:sec> <jats:title>Background and Aims</jats:title> <jats:p>The leaf economic spectrum (LES) is related to dry mass and nutrient investments towards photosynthetic processes and leaf structures, and to the duration of returns on those investments (leaf lifespan, LL). Phosphorus (P) is a key limiting nutrient for plant growth, yet it is unclear how the allocation of leaf P among different functions is coordinated with the LES. We addressed this question among 12 evergreen woody species co-occurring on P-impoverished soils in south-eastern Australia.</jats:p> </jats:sec><jats:sec> <jats:title>Methods</jats:title> <jats:p>Leaf ‘economic’ traits, including LL, leaf mass per area (LMA), light-saturated net photosynthetic rate per mass (A<jats:sub>mass</jats:sub>), dark respiration rate, P concentration ([P<jats:sub>total</jats:sub>]), nitrogen concentration, and P resorption, were measured for three pioneer and nine non-pioneer species. Leaf P was separated into five functional fractions: orthophosphate P (P<jats:sub>i</jats:sub>), metabolite P (P<jats:sub>M</jats:sub>), nucleic acid P (P<jats:sub>N</jats:sub>), lipid P (P<jats:sub>L</jats:sub>), and residual P (P<jats:sub>R</jats:sub>; phosphorylated proteins and unidentified compounds that contain P).</jats:p> </jats:sec><jats:sec> <jats:title>Results</jats:title> <jats:p>LL was negatively correlated with A<jats:sub>mass</jats:sub> and positively correlated with LMA, representing the LES. Pioneers occurred towards the short-LL end of the spectrum and exhibited higher [P<jats:sub>total</jats:sub>] than non-pioneer species, primarily associated with higher concentrations of P<jats:sub>i</jats:sub>, P<jats:sub>N</jats:sub> and P<jats:sub>L</jats:sub>. There were no significant correlations between leaf P fractions and LL or LMA, while A<jats:sub>mass</jats:sub> was positively correlated with the concentration of P<jats:sub>R</jats:sub>.</jats:p> </jats:sec><jats:sec> <jats:title>Conclusions</jats:title> <jats:p>Allocation of leaf P to different fractions varied substantially among species. This variation was partially associated with the LES, which may provide a mechanism underlying co-occurrence of species with different ecological strategies under P limitation. </jats:p> </jats:sec>

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:sec> <jats:title>Purpose</jats:title> <jats:p>Plant microbial biostimulants, such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), enhance nutrient concentration in fruits, including tomato. However, field studies on tomato AMF inoculation are scarce. AMF species belonging to Gigasporaceae and Glomeraceae families known to vary in life-history strategies may determine differential effects on plant nutrient benefits and residue decomposition. Despite this, the effect of different life-history strategies on nutrient acquisition of tomato fruits has not been investigated yet.</jats:p> </jats:sec><jats:sec> <jats:title>Methods</jats:title> <jats:p>We studied the effect of inoculation of two tomato varieties with four AMF species belonging to Glomeraceae and Gigasporaceae. Fungal colonization, yield, fruit nutrient concentration, litter decomposition, and bacterial and fungal abundances in soil were assessed in the field under organic agriculture.</jats:p> </jats:sec><jats:sec> <jats:title>Results</jats:title> <jats:p>Overall Gigasporaceae promoted the concentration of nutrients in tomato fruits compared to Glomeraceae. A variability in AM fungal colonization and fruit nutrient concentration was detected within Glomeraceae. <jats:italic>Scutellospora pellucida</jats:italic> increased the yield (+ 27%) of var. Rio Grande with respect to <jats:italic>Gigaspora gigantea</jats:italic>. In var. Rio Grande, inoculation with <jats:italic>Funneliformis mosseae</jats:italic> did not change litter decomposition as compared to non-inoculated controls, whereas it was lower than in <jats:italic>Sclerocystis sinuosa</jats:italic> and Gigasporaceae species, which showed the highest decomposition rates. AMF inoculation promoted soil total bacterial and fungal abundance and fungal:bacterial (F:B) ratio compared to controls, and members of Gigasporaceae had the highest F:B ratio.</jats:p> </jats:sec><jats:sec> <jats:title>Conclusion</jats:title> <jats:p>These findings pointed at the inclusion of AM fungal life-history strategy within the selection criteria for the development of biofertilizers able to enhance the nutritional value of vegetables under organic farming systems.</jats:p> </jats:sec>