Mycorrhizal fungi as drivers of ecosystem processes in heathland and boreal forest biomes

2004 ◽  
Vol 82 (8) ◽  
pp. 1243-1263 ◽  
Author(s):  
David J Read ◽  
Jonathan R Leake ◽  
Jesus Perez-Moreno
Keyword(s):  
Boreal Forest ◽  
Mycorrhizal Fungi ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Structural Features ◽  
Plant Litter ◽  
Organic Soils ◽  
Organic Substrates ◽  
Nutrient Cycles ◽  
Mycorrhizal Associations ◽  
Anthropogenic Pollutant

The importance of mycorrhizas in heathland and boreal forest biomes, which together cover much of the landmass of the Northern Hemisphere and store most of the global stocks of carbon, is reviewed. The taxonomic affinities of the organisms forming these symbiotic partnerships are assessed, and the distinctive structural features of the ericoid mycorrhizas of heathland dwarf shrubs and the ectomycorrhizas of boreal forest trees are described. It is stressed that neither in terms of the geographical distribution of the plants nor in terms of the occurrence of their characteristic mycorrhizas in the soil profile should these biomes be considered to be mutually exclusive. What unites them is their apparent affinity for acidic organic soils of inherently low accessibility of the major nutrients nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). These properties relate directly to the nature of the nutrient-poor recalcitrant litter produced by their host plants and through positive-feedback mechanisms that are reinforced by selective removal of labile nutrients by the mycorrhizas. We suggest that coevolution of these plant litter traits with mycorrhizal associations that are adapted to them has been one of the defining features of these ecosystems. Ericoid and ectomycorrhizal fungi have biochemical and physiological attributes that make them highly efficient at scavenging for organic sources of N and P in surface soil horizons. In so doing, they restrict supplies of these elements to the decomposer communities. Case studies involving exploitation of N and P in defined organic substrates are described. In both biomes the dominant plants depend upon the abilities of their fungal partners to recover nutrients, so the symbioses control nutrient cycles, productivity, species composition, and functioning of these ecosystems. It is in this context that the fungal symbionts are here considered to be drivers of nutritional processes in their respective biomes. Through their influences upon the quality of carbon residues mycorrhizal fungi must also affect the sink-source balance for this key element in soil. There is an urgent need for the evaluation of the relative contributions of symbiotic and saprotrophic components of the microflora to the processes of carbon storage and cycling in these biomes, particularly in the context of global climate change and impacts of anthropogenic pollutant N deposition.Key words: carbon sequestration, peatlands, C/N ratios, carbon and nutrient cycles.

scholarly journals Restriction of plant roots in boreal forest organic soils affects the microbial community but does not change the dominance from ectomycorrhizal to saprotrophic fungi

2019 ◽  
Vol 95 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Outi-Maaria Sietiö ◽  
Minna Santalahti ◽  
Anuliina Putkinen ◽  
Sylwia Adamczyk ◽  
Hui Sun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Community ◽  
Boreal Forest ◽  
Forest Soils ◽  
Mycorrhizal Fungi ◽  
Spatial Separation ◽  
Plant Roots ◽  
Organic Soils ◽  
Community Structures ◽  
Saprotrophic Fungi ◽  
Fungal Hyphae

ABSTRACT Boreal forest soils store significant amounts of carbon and are cohabited by saprotrophic and ectomycorrhizal fungi (ECM). The ‘Gadgil effect’ implies antagonistic interactions between saprotrophic fungi and ECM. Plant photosynthates support the competitive fitness of the ECM, and may also shape the soil bacterial communities. Many ‘Gadgil effect’ experiments have focused on litter layer (OL) or have litter and root-fragments present, and thus possibly favor the saprotrophs. We compared how the restriction of plant roots and exudates affect soil microbial community structures in organic soil (mixed OF and OH). For this, we established a 3-yr field experiment with 3 different mesh treatments affecting the penetration of plant roots and external fungal hyphae. Exclusion of plant photosynthates induced modest changes in both fungal and bacterial community structures, but not to potential functionality of the microbial community. The microbial community was resilient towards rather short-term disturbances. Contrary to the ‘Gadgil effect’, mesh treatments restricting the entrance of plant roots and external fungal hyphae did not favor saprotrophs that originally inhabited the soil. Thus, we propose that different substrate preferences (fresh litter vs. fermented or humified soil), rather than antagonism, maintain the spatial separation of saprotrophs and mycorrhizal fungi in boreal forest soils.

Vesicular–arbuscular endomycorrhizal associations of some desert plants of Baja California

1981 ◽  
Vol 59 (6) ◽  
pp. 1056-1060 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon L. Rose
Keyword(s):  
Mycorrhizal Fungi ◽  
Sonoran Desert ◽  
Baja California ◽  
Fungal Spores ◽  
Desert Plants ◽  
Endemic Plants ◽  
Mycorrhizal Associations ◽  
Glomus Spp ◽  
Vesicular Arbuscular ◽  
Va Mycorrhizal Fungi

Endemic plants of the Sonoran Desert of Baja California were sampled for mycorrhizal associations. Eight of the 10 plant species examined were colonized by vesicular–arbuscular (VA) mycorrhizal fungi. Soil sievings revealed chlamydospores of three VA mycorrhizal Glomus spp.; G. microcarpus, G. fasciculatus, and G. macrocarpus. At the time of sampling, the populations of VA fungal spores in the soil were low, with one to five chlamydospores per 100 g soil sample.

scholarly journals Transcription of protease and chitinase genes provides a window onto macromolecular organic nitrogen decomposition in soil

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ella T. Sieradzki ◽  
Erin E. Nuccio ◽  
Jennifer Pett-Ridge ◽  
Mary K. Firestone
Keyword(s):  
Soil Bacteria ◽  
Extracellular Enzymes ◽  
Plant Litter ◽  
Organic Substrates ◽  
Extracellular Proteases ◽  
Carbon And Nitrogen ◽  
Limiting Nutrient ◽  
Soil Bacteria And Fungi ◽  
Bacteria And Fungi ◽  
Chitinase Genes

AbstractNitrogen is a common limiting nutrient in soil in part because most N is present as macromolecular organic compounds, not directly available to plants. The microbial community present in soil near roots (rhizosphere) is in many ways analogous to the human gut microbiome, transforming nutrients present in organic substrates to forms available to plants through extracellular enzymes. Many recent studies have focused on the genetic potential for nitrogen cycling by bacteria in the rhizosphere, and on measuring inorganic N pools and fluxes. Between those two bodies of knowledge, there is scarce information on functionality of macromolecular nitrogen decomposing bacteria and fungi and how it relates to life stages of the plant. This is particularly important as many soil bacteria identified in community composition studies can be inactive or not viable. Here we use a time-series of metatranscriptomes from rhizosphere and bulk soil bacteria and fungi to follow extracellular protease and chitinase expression during rhizosphere aging. In addition, we explore the effect of adding plant litter as a source of macromolecular carbon and nitrogen. Expression of extracellular proteases increased over time in the absence of litter, more so in the presence of roots, whereas the dominant chitinase (chit1) was upregulated with exposure to litter. Structural groups of proteases were surprisingly dominated by serineproteases, possibly due to the importance of betaproteobacteria and actinobacteria in this grassland soil. Extracellular proteases of betaprotebacterial origin were more highly expressed in the presence of roots, whereas deltaroteobacteria and fungi responded to the presence of litter. We found functional guilds specializing in decomposition of proteins in the rhizosphere, detritusphere and in the vicinity of aging roots. We also identify a guild that appears to specialize in protein decomposition in the presence of roots and litter and increases its activity in aging rhizosphere, which may imply that this guild targets rhizodeposits or the senescing root itself as a protein source. Different temporal patterns of guilds imply that rather than functional redundancy, microbial decomposers operate within distinct niches.

scholarly journals Specific mycorrhizal associations involving the same fungal taxa in common and threatened Caladenia (Orchidaceae): implications for conservation

2020 ◽  
Vol 126 (5) ◽  
pp. 943-955 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noushka Reiter ◽  
Ryan D Phillips ◽  
Nigel D Swarts ◽  
Magali Wright ◽  
Gareth Holmes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Threatened Species ◽  
Mycorrhizal Fungi ◽  
Sequence Divergence ◽  
High Specificity ◽  
Common Species ◽  
Geographic Range ◽  
Limiting Factor ◽  
Mycorrhizal Associations ◽  
Orchid Conservation ◽  
Australian Continent

Abstract Background and Aims In orchid conservation, quantifying the specificity of mycorrhizal associations, and establishing which orchid species use the same fungal taxa, is important for sourcing suitable fungi for symbiotic propagation and selecting sites for conservation translocation. For Caladenia subgenus Calonema (Orchidaceae), which contains 58 threatened species, we ask the following questions. (1) How many taxa of Serendipita mycorrhizal fungi do threatened species of Caladenia associate with? (2) Do threatened Caladenia share orchid mycorrhizal fungi with common Caladenia? (3) How geographically widespread are mycorrhizal fungi associated with Caladenia? Methods Fungi were isolated from 127 Caladenia species followed by DNA sequencing of the internal transcibed spacer (ITS) sequence locus. We used a 4.1–6 % sequence divergence cut-off range to delimit Serendipita operational taxonomic units (OTUs). We conducted trials testing the ability of fungal isolates to support germination and plant growth. A total of 597 Serendipita isolates from Caladenia, collected from across the Australian continent, were used to estimate the geographic range of OTUs. Key Results Across the genus, Caladenia associated with ten OTUs of Serendipita (Serendipitaceae) mycorrhizal fungi. Specificity was high, with 19 of the 23 threatened Caladenia species sampled in detail associating solely with OTU A, which supported plants from germination to adulthood. The majority of populations of Caladenia associated with one OTU per site. Fungal sharing was extensive, with 62 of the 79 Caladenia sampled in subgenus Calonema associating with OTU A. Most Serendipita OTUs were geographically widespread. Conclusions Mycorrhizal fungi can be isolated from related common species to propagate threatened Caladenia. Because of high specificity of most Caladenia species, only small numbers of OTUs typically need to be considered for conservation translocation. When selecting translocation sites, the geographic range of the fungi is not a limiting factor, and using related Caladenia species to infer the presence of suitable fungal OTUs may be feasible.

scholarly journals Organic sediment formed during inundation of a degraded fen grassland emits large fluxes of CH<sub>4</sub> and CO<sub>2</sub>

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 1539-1550 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Hahn-Schöfl ◽  
D. Zak ◽  
M. Minke ◽  
J. Gelbrecht ◽  
J. Augustin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Plant Litter ◽  
Electron Acceptors ◽  
Sediment Layer ◽  
Organic Substrates ◽  
Peat Layer ◽  
Ch4 Production ◽  
Fresh Plant ◽  
Fresh Organic Matter ◽  
Organic Sediment

Abstract. Peatland restoration by inundation of drained areas can alter local greenhouse gas emissions as CO2 and CH4. Factors that can influence these emissions include the quality and amount of substrates available for anaerobic degradation processes and the sources and availability of electron acceptors. In order to learn about possible sources of high CO2 and CH4. emissions from a rewetted degraded fen grassland, we performed incubation experiments that tested the effects of fresh plant litter in the flooded peats on pore water chemistry and CO2 and CH4. production and emission. The position in the soil profile of the pre-existing drained peat substrate affected initial rates of anaerobic CO2 production subsequent to flooding, with the uppermost peat layer producing the greatest specific rates of CO2 evolution. CH4 production rates depended on the availability of electron acceptors and was significant only when sulfate concentrations were reduced in the pore waters. Very high specific rates of both CO2 (maximum of 412 mg C d−1 kg−1 C) and CH4 production (788 mg C d−1 kg−1 C) were observed in a new sediment layer that accumulated over the 2.5 years since the site was flooded. This new sediment layer was characterized by overall low C content, but represented a mixture of sand and relatively easily decomposable plant litter from reed canary grass killed by flooding. Samples that excluded this new sediment layer but included intact roots remaining from flooded grasses had specific rates of CO2 (max. 28 mg C d−1 kg−1 C) and CH4 (max. 34 mg C d−1 kg−1 C) production that were 10–20 times lower than for the new sediment layer and were comparable to those of a newly flooded upper peat layer. Lowest rates of anaerobic CO2 and CH4 production (range of 4–8 mg C d−1 kg−1 C and <1 mg C d−1 kg−1 C) were observed when all fresh organic matter sources (plant litter and roots) were excluded. In conclusion, the presence of fresh organic substrates such as plant and root litter originating from plants killed by inundation has a high potential for CH4 production, whereas peat without any fresh plant-derived material is relatively inert. Significant anaerobic CO2 and CH4 production in peat only occurs when some labile organic matter is available, e.g. from remaining roots or root exudates.

Root and shoot biomass and mycorrhizal development of white spruce seedlings naturally regenerating in interior Alaskan floodplain communities

1984 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 554-558 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. E. Krasny ◽  
K. A. Vogt ◽  
J. C. Zasada
Keyword(s):  
Boreal Forest ◽  
Mycorrhizal Fungi ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
White Spruce ◽  
Shoot Biomass ◽  
Seedling Biomass ◽  
Mycorrhizal Development ◽  
Root:Shoot Ratios ◽  
Root And Shoot Biomass

Root and shoot biomass and mycorrhizal development were examined for white spruce (Piceaglauca (Moench) Voss) seedlings naturally regenerating in four floodplain communities in the boreal forest. Mean seedling biomass was highest in the open community and lowest in the spruce community. Seedlings growing in the open community had higher root:shoot ratios (0.50) compared with seedlings growing in the willow (0.34), alder (0.20), and spruce (0.24) communities. Essentially all short roots of spruce seedlings growing in all four communities were infected by mycorrhizal fungi throughout the growing season.

scholarly journals Interactions among temperature, moisture, and oxygen concentrations in controlling decomposition rates in a boreal forest soil

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 703-710 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos A. Sierra ◽  
Saadatullah Malghani ◽  
Henry W. Loescher
Keyword(s):  
Boreal Forest ◽  
High Temperatures ◽  
High Water ◽  
High Water Content ◽  
Organic Soils ◽  
Soil Core ◽  
Decomposition Rates ◽  
Environmental Controls ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Oxygen Concentrations

Abstract. Determining environmental controls on soil organic matter decomposition is of importance for developing models that predict the effects of environmental change on global soil carbon stocks. There is uncertainty about the environmental controls on decomposition rates at temperature and moisture extremes, particularly at high water content levels and high temperatures. It is uncertain whether observed declines in decomposition rates at high temperatures are due to declines in the heat capacity of extracellular enzymes as predicted by thermodynamic theory, or due to simultaneous declines in soil moisture. It is also uncertain whether oxygen limits decomposition rates at high water contents. Here we present the results of a full factorial experiment using organic soils from a boreal forest incubated at high temperatures (25 and 35 °C), a wide range of water-filled pore space (WFPS; 15, 30, 60, 90 %), and contrasting oxygen concentrations (1 and 20 %). We found support for the hypothesis that decomposition rates are high at high temperatures, provided that enough moisture and oxygen are available for decomposition. Furthermore, we found that decomposition rates are mostly limited by oxygen concentrations at high moisture levels; even at 90 % WFPS, decomposition proceeded at high rates in the presence of oxygen. Our results suggest an important degree of interaction among temperature, moisture, and oxygen in determining decomposition rates at the soil core scale.

scholarly journals Mycorrhizal Fungi Isolated from Native Terrestrial Orchids from Region of La Araucanía, Southern Chile

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 1120
Author(s):  
Hector Herrera ◽  
Tedy Sanhueza ◽  
Rodolfo Martiarena ◽  
Rafael Valadares ◽  
Alejandra Fuentes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Seed Germination ◽  
Threatened Species ◽  
Mycorrhizal Fungi ◽  
Its Region ◽  
Southern Chile ◽  
Mycorrhizal Associations ◽  
Terrestrial Orchids ◽  
Recovery Strategies ◽  
Mycorrhizal Interactions

Mycorrhizal interactions of orchids are influenced by several environmental conditions. Hence, knowledge of mycorrhizal fungi associated with orchids inhabiting different ecosystems is essential to designing recovery strategies for threatened species. This study analyzes the mycorrhizal associations of terrestrial orchids colonizing grassland and understory in native ecosystems of the region of La Araucanía in southern Chile. Mycorrhizal fungi were isolated from peloton-containing roots and identified based on the sequence of the ITS region. Their capacities for seed germination were also investigated. We detected Tulasnella spp. and Ceratobasidium spp. in the pelotons of the analyzed orchids. Additionally, we showed that some Ceratobasidium isolates effectively induce seed germination to differing degrees, unlike Tulasnella spp., which, in most cases, fail to achieve protocorm growth. This process may underline a critical step in the life cycle of Tulasnella-associated orchids, whereas the Ceratobasidium-associated orchids were less specific for fungi and were effectively germinated with mycorrhizal fungi isolated from adult roots.

Scientific approaches to Australian temperate terrestrial orchid conservation

2007 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark C. Brundrett
Keyword(s):  
Mycorrhizal Fungi ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
Mycorrhizal Associations ◽  
Terrestrial Orchids ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Orchid Seed ◽  
Declining Populations ◽  
Feral Animals ◽  
Sexually Deceptive Orchids

This review summarises scientific knowledge concerning the mycorrhizal associations, pollination, demographics, genetics and evolution of Australian terrestrial orchids relevant to conservation. The orchid family is highly diverse in Western Australia (WA), with over 400 recognised taxa of which 76 are Declared Rare or Priority Flora. Major threats to rare orchids in WA include habitat loss, salinity, feral animals and drought. These threats require science-based recovery actions resulting from collaborations between universities, government agencies and community groups. Fungal identification by DNA-based methods in combination with compatibility testing by germination assays has revealed a complex picture of orchid–fungus diversity and specificity. The majority of rare and common WA orchids studied have highly specific mycorrhizal associations with fungi in the Rhizoctonia alliance, but some associate with a wider diversity of fungi. These fungi may be a key factor influencing the distribution of orchids and their presence can be tested by orchid seed bait bioassays. These bioassays show that mycorrhizal fungi are concentrated in coarse organic matter that may be depleted in some habitats (e.g. by frequent fire). Mycorrhizal fungi also allow efficient propagation of terrestrial orchids for reintroduction into natural habitats and for bioassays to test habitat quality. Four categories of WA orchids are defined by the following pollination strategies: (i) nectar-producing flowers with diverse pollinators, (ii) non-rewarding flowers that mimic other plants, (iii) winter-flowering orchids that attract fungus-feeding insects and (iv) sexually deceptive orchids with relatively specific pollinators. An exceptionally high proportion of WA orchids have specific insect pollinators. Bioassays testing orchid-pollinator specificity can define habitats and separate closely related species. Other research has revealed the chemical basis for insect attraction to orchids and the ecological consequences of deceptive pollination. Genetic studies have revealed that the structure of orchid populations is influenced by pollination, seed dispersal, reproductive isolation and hybridisation. Long-term demographic studies determine the viability of orchid populations, estimate rates of transition between seedling, flowering, non-flowering and dormant states and reveal factors, such as grazing and competition, that result in declining populations. It is difficult to define potential new habitats for rare orchids because of their specific relationships with fungi and insects. An understanding of all three dimensions of orchid habitat requirements can be provided by bioassays with seed baits for fungi, flowers for insects and transplanted seedlings for orchid demography. The majority of both rare and common WA orchids have highly specific associations with pollinating insects and mycorrhizal fungi, suggesting that evolution has favoured increasing specificity in these relationships in the ancient landscapes of WA.

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