“…Nitrogen enrichment of these soils through atmospheric deposition (Aber 1992, Jefferies and Maron 1997) may reduce the abundance (Termorshuizen andSchaffers 1987, 1991) and diversity (Ohenoja 1988, Kuyper and de Vries 1990, Arnolds 1991, Gulden et al 1993 of ectomycorrhizal fungi, and alter their community composition (Lilleskov et al 2001). The physiological and ecological mechanisms behind this phenomenon are still debated (Chalot andBrun 1998, Wallenda andKottke 1998), but it has been interpreted as a consequence of adaptations of ectomycorrhizal fungi to N-limited forests (Arnolds 1988, Read 1991. Plant growth and allocation responses to N-enrichment are well established (Chapin 1980, Herms and Mattson 1992, Ayres 1993) and generally include increased root and shoot growth, a decrease in root: shoot biomass, and reduced levels of soluble carbohydrates in roots and in the surrounding rhizosphere (Vogt et al 1993, Wallenda et al 1996.…”