AJB SPECIAL ISSUE CALL FOR PAPERS
Plant-microbe interactions in tropical and subtropical ecosystems
The role of plant-microbe interactions in plant community dynamics of tropical and subtropical ecosystems

Proposal Submission Deadline: Extended to July 1, 2023

The graphic shows a Cortinariu iodes group

Plants engage in myriad interactions with microbes in the soil. Soil microbes generate feedbacks in which the microbial community cultivated by a plant species influences its performance and population dynamics, and impose competitive differences among plants. Soil microbial communities thus shape the structure and function of plant communities and help maintain plant diversity. While plant–soil microbe interactions have seen much ecological research in the past three decades, recent syntheses reveal that many aspects of this fascinating and diverse field of study have been limited to a few ecosystems and regions. In particular, despite growing evidence that microbes can play a critical role in regulating the dynamics of tropical and subtropical systems, plant–microbe interactions in such systems remain largely understudied. These geographical gaps limit our ability to draw general inferences about the implications of plant–microbe interactions, especially to comprehend how microbial effects on plant community dynamics may vary with context and, by extension, respond to global environmental change. In this special issue, we hope to bridge this gap. Our goal here is to spotlight research on plant–soil microbe interactions from tropical and subtropical ecosystems.

We would especially like to invite studies led by researchers and institutions from the global south and encourage early-career researchers to consider this platform for their work on plant–microbe interactions. The scope of submissions can include (but is not limited to):

  • Impact of soil microbes on plant competition and diversity
  • Microbially mediated nutrient dynamics
  • Plant traits and plant–soil microbe interactions
  • Soil microbes and plant stress tolerance
  • Abiotic context and plant–soil microbe interactions
  • Soil microbial effects on plant invasions
  • Plant–soil microbe interactions in human-modified ecosystems


How to submit a proposal: Authors interested in contributing to this special issue should email a proposal that includes a tentative title, tentative author list, and a 200–300-word abstract. Please send your proposals to ajb@botany.org.

The deadline for proposal submission is July 1, 2023. Proposals will be reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief and the special issue editors. Authors will be notified by July 31, 2023, as to whether their proposal was accepted.

Authors whose proposals are accepted should submit their manuscript by October 6, 2023. Note that acceptance of a proposal does not guarantee the eventual acceptance of the manuscript, as all manuscripts will be rigorously peer-reviewed and held to the standards of the journal. The target date for publication of the special issue is mid 2024.

The Botanical Society of America and its publications are committed to inclusive science that reflects disciplinary, human, and geographic diversity. Submissions are welcomed from applicants of all ethnicities, races, colors, religions, sexes, sexual orientations, gender identities, socioeconomic status, national origins, disabilities, ages, or other individual status.

Best wishes,

Meghna Krishnadas (CSIR Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology)
Gaurav Kandlikar (University of Missouri)
Adriana Corrales (Society for the Protection of Underground Networks -SPUN and Universidad del Rosario)
Special Issue Editors