A study published in Nature on June 25, 2010, reveals that negative plant-soil feedback, driven by soil biota, predicts tree species relative abundance in tropical forests. The research, led by Scott A. Mangan and colleagues, used reciprocal shade-house and field experiments to test whether conspecific tree seedlings perform worse than heterospecific seedlings when grown in the presence of enemies associated with adult trees. Both experiments provided strong evidence for negative plant-soil feedback mediated by soil biota. In contrast, above-ground enemies such as mammals and foliar herbivores contributed little to negative feedback observed in the field. The study found that tree species with stronger negative feedback were less common as adults in the forest, indicating that susceptibility to soil biota may determine species relative abundance in these tropical forests. Simulation models confirmed that the strength of local negative feedback was sufficient to produce the observed community-wide patterns in tree-species relative abundance. The findings suggest that plant-soil feedback is an important mechanism that can maintain species diversity and explain patterns of tree-species relative abundance in tropical forests. The study highlights the role of soil biota in mediating negative feedback, which can influence community-wide patterns of species abundance and diversity. The research also emphasizes the importance of considering soil biota in understanding plant community dynamics, particularly in species-rich tropical forests. The study's results support the idea that negative plant-soil feedback is a key factor in maintaining plant species diversity and shaping patterns of relative abundance in tropical forests.A study published in Nature on June 25, 2010, reveals that negative plant-soil feedback, driven by soil biota, predicts tree species relative abundance in tropical forests. The research, led by Scott A. Mangan and colleagues, used reciprocal shade-house and field experiments to test whether conspecific tree seedlings perform worse than heterospecific seedlings when grown in the presence of enemies associated with adult trees. Both experiments provided strong evidence for negative plant-soil feedback mediated by soil biota. In contrast, above-ground enemies such as mammals and foliar herbivores contributed little to negative feedback observed in the field. The study found that tree species with stronger negative feedback were less common as adults in the forest, indicating that susceptibility to soil biota may determine species relative abundance in these tropical forests. Simulation models confirmed that the strength of local negative feedback was sufficient to produce the observed community-wide patterns in tree-species relative abundance. The findings suggest that plant-soil feedback is an important mechanism that can maintain species diversity and explain patterns of tree-species relative abundance in tropical forests. The study highlights the role of soil biota in mediating negative feedback, which can influence community-wide patterns of species abundance and diversity. The research also emphasizes the importance of considering soil biota in understanding plant community dynamics, particularly in species-rich tropical forests. The study's results support the idea that negative plant-soil feedback is a key factor in maintaining plant species diversity and shaping patterns of relative abundance in tropical forests.