Effects of nursery production methods on fungal community diversity within soil and roots of Abies alba Mill.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to elucidate how different nursery production methods influence the composition of and relationship between soil and root community levels of Abies alba. In the Międzylesie Forest District, we quantified the responses of samples of both community-level fine roots and surrounding soil to environmental changes evoked by various seedling production methods. Fungi levels were identified based on their ITS 1 region and 5.8 S rDNA component. Analysis was conducted using Illumina SBS technology, and the obtained sequences were compared with reference samples deposited in the UNITE. Chemical analysis of the soil was also performed. Different nursery production methods resulted in a strong decoupling in the responses of fungal community levels between soil and roots. Changes in growth conditions imposed by production methods were significant in determining species composition. We found differences in fungal communities among functional groups of samples. In the soil, the dominant species of mycorrhizal fungi were Tylospora asterophora, Amanita rubescens, and Russula ionochlora. Mycorrhizal fungi in roots included Tuber anniae, Thelephoraceae sp., and Acephala applanata. Specific soil substrate conditions significantly influenced fungal community composition, leading to an increase in abundance of mycorrhizal fungi, specifically T. anniae.

Influence of Soil Quality on the Browsing Intensity of Ungulate Herbivores on Tree Species in European Forests

“…The majority of A. alba saplings are found in poor habitats, although mature trees of the same species are also present as a small admixture in rich habitats. In the case of A. alba, which is a very shade-tolerant species, the lack of saplings in the richer habitats is probably unrelated to lower light intensities but is instead related to soil factors, possibly indirectly through interactions with fungi [54,55]. Research on the effect of microsites on A. alba survival, density, and ectomycorrhizal status has shown that habitat quality reinforces this interaction.…”