Jörgensen, Karolina
- Department of Soil and Environment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Research article2024Peer reviewedOpen access
Jorgensen, Karolina; Clemmensen, Karina E.; Wallander, Hakan; Lindahl, Bjorn D.
Ectomycorrhizal fungi are essential for nitrogen (N) cycling in many temperate forests and responsive to anthropogenic N addition, which generally decreases host carbon (C) allocation to the fungi. In the boreal region, however, ectomycorrhizal fungal biomass has been found to correlate positively with soil N availability. Still, responses to anthropogenic N input, for instance through atmospheric deposition, are commonly negative.To elucidate whether variation in N supply affects ectomycorrhizal fungi differently depending on geographical context, we investigated ectomycorrhizal fungal communities along fertility gradients located in two nemo-boreal forest regions with similar ranges in soil N : C ratios and inorganic N availability but contrasting rates of N deposition.Ectomycorrhizal biomass and community composition remained relatively stable across the N gradient with low atmospheric N deposition, but biomass decreased and the community changed more drastically with increasing N availability in the gradient subjected to higher rates of N deposition. Moreover, potential activities of enzymes involved in ectomycorrhizal mobilisation of organic N decreased as N availability increased.In forests with low external input, we propose that stabilising feedbacks in tree-fungal interactions maintain ectomycorrhizal fungal biomass and communities even in N-rich soils. By contrast, anthropogenic N input seems to impair ectomycorrhizal functions.
coniferous forest; ectomycorrhizal communities; enzyme activities; ergosterol; fungal biomass; nitrogen deposition
New Phytologist
2024, Volume: 242, number: 4, pages: 1725-1738 Publisher: WILEY
Forest Science
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.19509
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/128149