Extended Data Fig. 4: Relationships between root traits and seed mass of different mycorrhizal types across different climatic zones.
From: Arbuscular mycorrhizal association regulates global root–seed coordination
Analyses were performed using field-measured data using the standardized major axis (SMA) regression. Seed mass with both root diameter and cortical thickness of arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) plant species are positively correlated in tropics and subtropics (green filled circles, a, log10(y) = 5.72 log10(x) + 4.42, r = 0.38, P = 1.83 × 10−8, 95% CI = 5.04−6.50, n = 206; d, log10(y) = 5.80 log10(x) + 4.50, r = 0.44, P = 5.88 × 10−10, 95% CI = 5.08−6.63, n = 177; tan filled circles, b, log10(y) = 4.40 log10(x) −6.61, r = 0.31, P = 4.58 × 10−6, 95% CI = 3.86−5.01, n = 206; e, log10(y) = 4.76 log10(x) −7.56, r = 0.38, P = 1.92 × 10−7, 95% CI = 4.15−5.46, n = 177), but not in temperate (green filled circles, g, r = 0.17, P = 0.09, n = 106. tan filled circles, h, r = 0.1, P = 0.31, n = 105). In contrast, no correlation is observed for ectomycorrhizal (ECM) plant species (green open circles, a, R2 = 0.27, P = 0.45, n = 10; d, r = 0.12, P = 0.57, n = 25; g, r = 0.07, P = 0.65, n = 43; tan open circles, b, r = 0.48, P = 0.16, n = 10; e, r = 0.08, P = 0.71, n = 25; h, r = 0.29, P = 0.06, n = 43). The vessel diameter and seed mass of AM and ECM plant species show no correlation across three climatic zones (blue filled circles, c, r = 0.13, P = 0.07, n = 192; f, r = 0.15, P = 0.052, n = 170; i, r = 0.002, P = 0.95, n = 96; blue open circles, c, r = 0.62, P = 0.10, n = 8; f, r = 0.06, P = 0.79, n = 24; i, r = 0.06, P = 0.68, n = 39). Significance was tested using a two-sided t-test. Data are plotted on a logarithmic scale (log10) for both axes, with each point representing one species.
