Vertical distribution of an ectomycorrhizal community in upper soil horizons of a young Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) stand of the Bavarian Limestone Alps

Abstract

The vertical niche differentiation of genera of ectomycorrhiza (ECM) was assessed in a 17-year-old Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) plantation on a mountainous dolomitic site (1,050 m above sea level) of the Bavarian Limestone Alps. We determined ECM anatomotypes, recorded the abundance of corresponding ECM root tips and classified them into groups of ECM exploration types, which refer to the organisation and the extent of their extramatrical mycelia. The abundance of ECM was highest in the organic soil layers, compared to the mineral soil horizon. The ordination of the ECM communities and of the exploration types revealed segregation related to soil horizon properties. While Cenococcum geophilum preferred the organic soil layers, Lactarius spp., Tomentella spp. and Craterellus tubaeformis were generally most abundant in the mineral soil horizons. Cenococcum geophilum was the predominant species, possibly based on enhanced competitiveness under the prevailing site conditions. The short-distance exploration types (e.g. C. geophilum) preferentially colonised the organic soil layer, whereas the contact types (e.g. most of the Tomentella spp., C. tubaeformis) together with medium-distance types (e.g. Amphinema byssoides) were primarily associated with the underlying A-horizons. Therefore, the soil horizons had an important effect on the distribution of ECM and on their community structure. The spatial niche differentiation of ECM genera and exploration types is discussed in regard to specific physico-chemical properties of soil horizon and the assumed ecophysiological strategies of ECM.

Enigmatic Sebacinales

“…In temperate deciduous forests, Sebacinales ECMs seem to co-dominate with those of Russulales and Thelephorales Smith et al 2007;. Sebacina ECMs as short-distance exploration types (Agerer 2001) in young Picea abies stands of the Bavarian limestone Alps preferred the organic layer (Baier et al 2006) of soil horizons. Studies of fine-scale distribution patterns of ECM fungi across substrate layers in Estonia showed dominating Sebacinales in the upper coarse woody debris (Tedersoo et al 2003).…”

Potassium fertilization affects the distribution of fine roots but does not change ectomycorrhizal community structure

“…This distribution has been shown in a number of studies (Baier et al 2006;Courty et al 2008) where the medium distance exploration types (L. rufus, C. neofurvolaesus, and C. delibutus) occur more often in the loose substrate horizons (Oi + Oe) than the more compact Oa layers. However, the short distance exploration type T. fibrillosa was also found preferentially in the Oi + Oe layer, suggesting that factors other than the compactness of the soil substrate may also be important, such as tolerance to fluctuations in soil temperature and moisture (Baier et al 2006). Between the control and the K-fertilization treatment, no differences in the relative abundance of exploration types or the hydrophobicity of the ectomycorrhizal taxa were shown.…”

Metagenomic analysis of soil fungal communities on Ulleungdo and Dokdo Islands

“…Notably, Craterellus (7.07%) was the predominant genus detected in the Ulleungdo sample. Craterellus, Lactarius, and Russula include ectomycorrhizal mushrooms (Baier et al, 2006), while Mycena comprises saprophytic mushrooms (Steffen et al, 2007). Although our results indicate a variation in the species richness estimation between Ulleungdo, Dongdo, and Seodo, the ecological interaction between the plants and fungi on these islands remain unclear.…”