View from the Top: Insights into the Diversity and Community Assembly of Ectomycorrhizal and Saprotrophic Fungi along an Altitudinal Gradient in Chinese Boreal Larix gmelinii-Dominated Forests

Abstract

The altitudinal patterns of soil fungi have attracted considerable attention; however, few studies have investigated the diversity and community assembly of fungal functional guilds along an altitudinal gradient. Here, we explored ectomycorrhizal (EcM) and saprotrophic (SAP) fungal diversity and community assembly along a 470 m vertical gradient (ranging from 830 to 1300 m) on Oakley Mountain, sampling bulk soils in the 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm soil layers of Larix gmelinii-dominated forests. Illumina MiSeq sequencing of the ITS genes was employed to explore the fungal community composition and diversity. The relative abundance of EcM and SAP fungi showed a divergent pattern along an altitudinal gradient, while we observed a consistent altitudinal tendency for EcM and SAP fungal diversity and community assembly. The diversity of both fungal guilds increased with increasing altitude. Altitude and soil moisture were the key factors affecting the community composition of both fungal guilds. In addition, the plant community composition significantly affected the EcM fungal community composition, whereas the dissolved organic nitrogen and ammonium nitrogen contents were the driving factors of SAP fungal community. Despite the effects of vegetation and soil factors, EcM and SAP fungal communities were mainly governed by stochastic processes (especially drift) at different altitudes and soil depths. These results shed new light on the ecology of different fungal functional guilds along an altitudinal gradient, which will provide a deeper understanding of the biogeography of soil fungi.

Forest Type and Climate Outweigh Soil Bank in Shaping Dynamic Changes in Macrofungal Diversity in the Ancient Tree Park of Northeast China

“…Meanwhile, the distribution and abundance of ectomycorrhizal and saprotrophic fungi are influenced by elevation and changes in abiotic factors such as temperature, moisture, and soil properties, including pH, soil organic matter, and soil nitrogen content. Although studies have highlighted the ecological roles of Ectomycorrhizal (EcM) and Saprotrophic (SAP) fungi in boreal forests, there is still a lack of research on the impact of soil fungi on macrofungal diversity [ 33 ]. As soil fungi play crucial roles in nutrient cycling and ecosystem processes, it is important to further investigate the relationships between soil fungi and macrofungal diversity, especially in the context of changing environmental conditions such as climate change.…”