Pine mycorrhizal communities in pure and mixed pine-oak forests: Abiotic environment trumps neighboring oak host effects
File(s)Martinez et al. 2017.pdf (1.56 MB)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Suz, LM
Kallow, S
Reed, K
Bidartondo, MI
Barsoum, N
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) is frequently planted as a monoculture, but it is also grown in mixed plantations with other native trees such as pedunculate oak (Quercus robur). Both pine and oak form ectomycorrhizas that cover their roots and extend into the soil, facilitating tree water and nutrient uptake in exchange for photosynthetic carbon. Forming the interface between the soil and tree roots, mycorrhizal fungi are key drivers of biogeochemical cycling in terrestrial ecosystems and play an important role in the successful establishment of tree seedlings. They can, however, be susceptible to changes in the soil environment and in their hosts. Both environment and neighboring hosts affect how fungi colonize roots and may affect their host preference. Despite the importance of mycorrhizal fungi in forest ecosystems, little is known about the biodiversity and functional effects of mycorrhizal communities in mixed compared with monoculture plantations. Changes in mycorrhizal richness and composition can result in changes in functional groups with consequences for forest ecosystem stability and functioning. We compared pine mycorrhizas in eight mixed plantations of pine and oak and eight pine monocultures in two forests in England, and we investigated the main factors driving their taxonomic and functional composition. Geographical location and litter pH explained over 50% of the variation in pine mycorrhizal communities. Different environmental factors affected taxonomic and functional composition across stands, indicating functional redundancy. Pine tended to associate with more fungi in the presence of oak, but the abiotic environment exerted a stronger influence than oak presence on pine mycorrhizal diversity.
Date Issued
2017-10-18
Date Acceptance
2017-09-11
Citation
Forest Ecology and Management, 2017, 406, pp.370-380
ISSN
0378-1127
Publisher
Elsevier
Start Page
370
End Page
380
Journal / Book Title
Forest Ecology and Management
Volume
406
Copyright Statement
© 2017, Elsevier. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Sponsor
Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
Grant Number
NE/K006339/1
Subjects
Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Forestry
Pinus sylvestris
Quercur robur
Monocultures
Polycultures
Ectomycorrhizas
Diversification
ECTOMYCORRHIZAL FUNGAL COMMUNITIES
SCOTS PINE
NITROGEN DEPOSITION
PSEUDOTSUGA-MENZIESII
SPECIES PLANTATIONS
SEQUENCE ALIGNMENT
EXPLORATION TYPES
SYLVESTRIS L.
QUERCUS SPP.
NE GERMANY
Publication Status
Published