夜间增温和施肥对川西亚高山针叶林两种树苗根际效应的影响

开展植物根际效应对全球变化响应的研究是深入认识根际微生态系统中植物根系与土壤微生物相互作用过程及机制的关键。以川西亚高山针叶林两种主要树种幼苗--云杉(Picea asperata)和岷江冷杉(Abies faxoniana)为研究材料,采用红外辐射模拟增温和外施NH₄NO₃氮肥的方法,研究了夜间增温和施肥对两种幼苗根际效应的影响。结果表明:红外辐射增温导致气温增加了1.62 ℃,土壤5 cm和10 cm层月均温度显著增加了2.89 ℃和3.10℃。增温和施肥处理对两种幼苗不同参数根际效应的影响各不相同,表现为不同程度的正根际效应、负根际效应或者无影响。增温使云杉幼苗根际与非根际土SMB-C含量均显著增加(分别为42.28%和31.02%),非根际土有机碳含量降低了7.03%;而增温对两种幼苗土壤肥力因素根际效应的影响总体并不显著,增温仅对云杉全氮有显著的负根际效应(79.43%),而岷江冷杉通过根际土全氮和SMB-N含量的增加,其根际效应大小在增温处理下显著增强。施肥处理和两因子的联合作用显著提高了两种幼苗的NO^-₃-N、NH⁺₄-N和云杉非根际土SMB-N含量,并使岷江冷杉NH⁺₄-N表现出正根际效应,而云杉SMB-N表现出明显的负根际效应(120.80%和253.06%)。这种响应差异可能与不同植物种类地下碳分配及其植物根系所吸收的养分有关,从而赋予了不同植物种类在未来全球变化背景下可能具有不同的适应力和竞争优势,并进一步对亚高山针叶林地下过程及其早期更新产生潜在影响。     

施用氮肥对落叶松人工林一级根外生菌根侵染及形态的影响

以落叶松人工林为研究对象,通过施N肥试验,对不同季节、不同土壤深度根系进行取样,研究了1级根外生菌根真菌侵染率和形态,及其与不同季节、土壤深度和土壤N有效性的关系.结果表明:外生菌根真菌对落叶松人工林1级根的侵染率显著受不同季节和土壤深度土壤N有效性的影响.在不同季节和土层之间,施N肥导致菌根真菌侵染率下降.与未侵染菌根真菌相比,菌根真菌侵染导致1级根形态发生明显改变,平均直径增加18.7%,平均根长缩短23.7%,比根长降低16.3%.这种根系形态变化在不同季节、不同土壤深度处理中表现明显.菌根真菌侵染改变了1级根形态,影响根系的生理生态过程.     

秦岭辛家山林区落叶松外生菌根真菌多样性

【目的】以秦岭辛家山林区落叶松为研究对象,观察鉴定与其共生的外生菌根真菌。【方法】通过野外调查结合形态学和分子生物学鉴定方法。【结果】鉴定出31种外生菌根真菌,分属2门4目11科11属,分别有毛革菌属(Tomentella)、丝盖伞属(Inocybe)、红菇属(Russula)、Amphinema、蜡蘑属(Laccaria)、蜡壳耳属(Sebacina)、鹅膏菌属(Amanita)、牛肝菌属(Boletus)、丝膜菌属(Cortinarius)、乳菇属(Lactarius)和硬皮马勃属(Scleroderma),丝盖伞属是优势类群。阳坡外生菌根真菌多样性高于阴坡。对菌根根际土与非根际土化学性质分析表明,pH值显著低于非根际,速效磷、速效钾含量显著高于非根际。对根际土化学性质与外生菌根侵染率相关性分析表明,落叶松外生菌根侵染率与土壤pH值呈显著正相关;与速效钾呈极显著正相关;与全氮、速效磷呈显著负相关。【结论】落叶松外生菌根真菌多样性丰富,且受坡向影响。外生菌根真菌可降低根际pH,提高根际有机质、全氮、速效磷、速效钾、水溶性钙和水溶性镁的含量。外生菌根侵染率受土壤pH值、全氮、速效磷、速效钾的影响。     

丛枝菌根真菌对枳根净离子流及锌污染下枳苗矿质营养的影响

盆栽实验研究了不同施Zn水平(0、300 mg/kg和600 mg/kg)下,接种丛枝菌根真菌Glomus intraradices对枳苗生长、Zn、Cu、P、K、Ca、Mg分布的影响,并采用非损伤微测技术测定分析了菌根化与非菌根化枳根净Ca²⁺、H⁺、NO₃^-离子流动态。结果表明:(1)在不同施Zn水平下,接种菌根真菌显著提高了枳苗地上部及根部鲜重;随着施Zn水平的提高,菌根侵染率呈降低趋势,枳苗地上部与根部Zn含量呈增加趋势,且接种株根部Zn含量显著高于未接种株。(2)接种株未施Zn处理的地上部Cu、P、K、Mg和根部Cu含量、施600 mg/kg Zn处理的根部Cu及施300 mg/kg Zn处理的根部P含量均显著高于对照,而菌根真菌侵染对枳苗Ca含量并无显著性影响。(3)接种株未施Zn处理的根部距根尖端0 μm和600 μm处净Ca²⁺流出速率、600 μm处净H⁺流入速率、2400 μm处净NO₃^-流入速率均显著高于未接种株。     

不同丛枝菌根真菌侵染对土壤结构的影响

为了定量化比较研究接种丛枝菌根真菌后,根际、菌根际和菌丝际土壤结构的变化,采用四室分根装置,比较中性紫色土接种不同AM真菌后,菌根际、根际、菌丝际和非根际土壤平均重量直径(MWD)、几何平均直径(GMD)和大于0.25mm团聚体总量(R_0.25)的变化。结果表明:接种3个菌种后菌丝际EEG和有机质含量均呈高于菌根际的趋势。菌丝密度和易提取球囊霉素相关蛋白(EEG)与MWD、GMD和R_0.25呈显著正相关,菌根际和菌丝际土壤水稳性R_0.25与菌丝密度显著正相关,相关系数分别为0.777和0.671。接种G. mosseae的菌根际土壤R_0.25值显著高于其它分室土壤,而接种G.etunicatum的菌丝际土壤R_0.25值显著高于其它分室土壤。试验结果在一定程度上说明不同菌种对土壤结构均有不同程度的影响,反映了丛枝菌根真菌生态功能的多样性。     

川西亚高山带森林生态系统外生菌根的形成

利用样方法于2003年8月对四川西部亚高山带分布的川滇高山栎(Quercus aquifolioides)、云杉(Picea asperata)、红桦(Betulaalbo-sinensis)、山杨(Populus davidiana)、铁杉(Tsuga chinensis)、华山松(Pinus armandi)、落叶松(Larix japonica)和冷杉(Abiesfaxoniana)8个主要森林类型的外生菌根进行了调查。结果表明,所有调查的森林类型均被外生菌根真菌所侵染,不同森林类型的宿主植物外生菌根的侵染强度不同,同种森林类型由于受海拔高度、坡度、林龄等条件的影响,植物的菌根侵染率、侵染强度指数以及细根生物量都发生相应的改变。高山栎林型随着海拔高度的增加,土壤上层(0~20cm)菌根侵染率增高、下层(20~40cm)菌根侵染强度指数增大,土壤上下层有效磷浓度都明显减少;坡度小的云杉林型内上下两层细根生物量、菌根侵染率都高于坡度大的云杉林,但是菌根侵染强度指数却较低;相同立地条件下,云杉林型在种群建立(幼林龄)和衰退(成过熟林)时菌根侵染率和侵染强度指数都显著高于种群相对稳定(中林龄)时期,在养分较为肥沃的土壤环境中,菌根侵染率、侵染强度指数与营养因子不存在明显的相关性;山杨、落叶松、冷杉和红桦林型土壤上层菌根侵染率都超过了65%;华山松林型由于坡度最大(50°),其土壤上层菌根侵染强度指数也最大(55.78%);铁杉林型菌根形成状况最差,但细根生物量最大。亚高山带森林类型中的上层植物细根生物量都显著高于下层,表明植物的营养主要由上层根系所输送。     

丛枝菌根真菌和施加不同形态氮肥对杉木幼苗养分吸收的影响

为了解丛枝菌根真菌(AMF)和不同形态氮对杉木(Cunninghamia lanceolata)生长和养分吸收的影响,以1 a生杉木幼苗接种摩西球囊霉(Glomus mosseae)和添加不同形态氮(NH₄⁺-N和NO₃^–-N),对其养分元素和生长状况的变化进行研究。结果表明,AMF显著提高了杉木的苗高和生物量,促进了杉木对N、P、K、Ca、Mg、Fe和Na的吸收,AMF对微量元素Fe、Na的促进作用总体上要强于大量元素K、Ca。与NO₃^–-N相比,AMF显著提高了NH₄⁺-N处理杉木的生物量、总C和N、Ca、Mg、Mn含量,而且这种显著性在叶中普遍高于根和茎。接种AMF可以促进杉木幼苗的生长和对养分元素的吸收,且添加NH₄⁺-N处理的促进作用要强于NO₃^–-N。     

东北红松纯林菌根外生菌根真菌群落与环境因子的相关性

外生菌根是木本植物根系与真菌形成的共生结构,外生菌根真菌在红松等外生菌根树种的定植与森林生态系统的保持方面起到至关重要的作用。明确菌根系统内外生菌根真菌群落组成是揭示菌根共生机制的前提条件。本研究利用Illumina Hiseq测序平台对生长季内红松纯林内根围土壤及菌根样品ITS2区进行高通量测序,分析其外生菌根真菌群落结构随季节的变化规律,同时通过统计学的方法分析了红松根系微生态中外生菌根真菌群落结构组成变化与其他生物因素、非生物因素的相关性。结果如下：（1）从6月份到10月份,5个月的菌根样品测序共得到741个真菌OTUs,利用FUNGuild数据库分析,其中85个OTUs归类为外生菌根真菌,优势属（相对丰度>5）为蜡壳菌属Sebacina、乳牛肝菌属Suillus、Meliniomyces、红菇属Russula、棉革菌属Tomentella、须腹菌属Rhizopogon和缘腺革菌属Amphinema。6月份菌根中外生菌根真菌的多样性最大,显著高于其他月份。（2）红松林外生菌根真菌群落组成受到土壤pH、有效磷含量、有效钾含量和土壤有效氮含量的影响,它们与外生菌根真菌优势属相对丰度呈现正相关或负相关。（3）根围土壤内真菌是影响红松根系外生菌根真菌相对丰度的另一重要因素,其中,包括普可尼亚属Pochonia、产丝齿菌属Hyphodontia、镰刀菌属Fusarium、Collembolispora、枝穗霉属Clonostachys、Apodus、鹅膏属Amanita在内的土壤真菌与根内外生菌根真菌的相对丰度呈线性关系。同时,超过85%的根内外生菌根真菌与同一取样地的土壤共有,可以认为侵染和扩散是红松根内外生菌根真菌群落形成的主要方式,同时兼有植物根系的选择,因为根内并不包括所有土壤中存在的外生菌根真菌,其机制需要进一步人工模拟试验验证。     

内蒙古地区白桦外生菌根形态类型及分子鉴定

以内蒙古不同地区白桦外生菌根为材料,采用形态解剖学方法和分子生物学手段对与白桦共生的外生菌根真菌多样性进行全面的调查,并经对所测序列与GenBank和Database比对。结果显示:在内蒙古地区与白桦共生的外生菌根真菌共13种,其中担子菌7种,子囊菌4种,分别来自于丝膜菌属、丝盖伞属、蜡壳耳属、毛革菌属、滑菇属和空团菌属、块菌属、地怀菌属。其中,菌根类型T₈和T₁₁未能提出其总DNA,根据其外生菌根形态类型并参照Agerer体视显微镜菌根图谱和Haug菌根图谱进行比较,分类鉴定为荷顿氏疣柄牛肝菌和白桦外生菌根真菌一种。结果表明,内蒙古地区白桦外生菌根真菌多样性相对较高,且与利用地上子实体鉴定的外生菌根真菌种类有一定的区别。     

秸秆覆盖配施氮肥根际土真菌群落及其与小麦产量的关系

为研究秸秆覆盖与施氮条件下土壤真菌群落变化及其驱动因素与冬小麦产量的关系,试验采用二因素裂区设计,主区为秸秆覆盖（SM）和不覆盖（NSM）;副区为两种施氮量0（N0）和180（N1） kg/hm²。于小麦开花期采集土壤样品测定土壤养分及采用Illumina Miseq高通量测序技术分析根际真菌群落结构和多样性。结果表明,SM较NSM处理小麦产量提高40.3%,差异显著。NSMN1较NSMN0处理小麦产量显著提高75%;SMN1处理比SMN0处理小麦产量显著提高92%。SM处理较NSM处理土壤有机碳（SOC）、全氮（TN）、碱解氮（AN）、氨态氮（NH₄⁺-N）、速效磷（AP）和速效钾（AK）的含量显著增加,土壤硝态氮（NO₃^--N）含量降低。无论秸秆覆盖与否,施氮显著提高了土壤TN、AN、NH₄⁺-N、NO₃^--N、AP和AK的含量。秸秆覆盖根际真菌群落多样性（Chao1与Shannon指数）增加;施氮则降低其多样性。SM处理较NSM处理显著增加担子菌门（Basidiomycota）和降低被孢霉门（Mortierellomycota）的相对丰度,子囊菌门（Ascomycota）的相对丰度无显著差异。在NSM条件下,施氮显著增加子囊菌门的相对丰度,担子菌门与被孢霉门相对丰度显著降低;在SM条件下,施氮处理显著降低子囊菌门和增加担子菌门的相对丰度,被孢霉门的相对丰度降低,但无显著差异。在属水平上,SM处理较NSM处理显著增加光盖伞属（Psilocybe）、弯孢菌属（Curvularia）和黑孢霉属（Nigrospora）的相对丰度,被孢霉属（Mortierella）、球腔菌属（Mycosphaerella）、帚枝霉属（Sarocladium）、镰刀菌属（Fusarium）和柱霉属（Scytalidium）的相对丰度显著降低,蛋白单胞属（Pyrenochaetopsis）的相对丰度无显著差异。NSMN1较NSMN0处理显著增加球腔菌属、弯孢菌属和帚枝霉属的相对丰度,显著降低被孢霉属和柱霉属的相对丰度;SMN1比SMN0处理显著增加光盖伞属、弯孢菌属、帚枝霉属和柱霉属的相对丰度,被孢霉属相对丰度显著降低。组间群落差异（LEfSe）分析,球腔菌属、弯孢菌属和光盖伞属是秸秆覆盖配施氮肥的关键真菌菌属。基于冗余分析,土壤SOC、AK、AP、AN、TN与NH₄⁺-N含量对真菌群落结构有显著或者极显著的影响。进一步分析表明,在秸秆覆盖配施氮肥条件下光盖伞属、柱霉属和弯孢菌属与小麦产量相关。综上,秸秆覆盖配施氮肥有助于提高土壤养分有效性和小麦产量,利于优化土壤真菌群落结构,对四川丘陵旱地提升土壤肥力和作物生产力具有重要意义。     

Growth and physiological responses of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Picea asperata</Emphasis> seedlings to elevated temperature and to nitrogen fertilization

Picea asperata is a dominant species in the subalpine coniferous forests distributed in eastern edges of Tibetan Plateau and upper reaches of the Yangtze River. The paper mainly identified the short-term influences of experimental warming, nitrogen fertilization, and their combination on growth and physiological performances of Picea asperata seedlings. These seedlings were subjected to two levels of temperature (ambient; infrared heater warming) and two nitrogen levels (0; 25 g m⁻² a⁻¹ N) for 6 months. We used a free air temperature increase of overhead infrared heater to raise both air and soil temperature by 2.1 and 2.6°C, respectively. The temperature increment induced an obvious enhancement in biomass accumulation and the maximum net photosynthetic rate, and decreased AOS and MDA level under ambient nitrogen conditions. Whereas, negative effects of experimental warming on growth and physiology was observed under nitrogen fertilization condition. On the other hand, nitrogen fertilization significantly improved plant growth in unwarmed plots, by stimulating total biomass, maximum net photosynthetic rate (A _max), antioxidant compounds, as well as reducing the content of AOS and MDA. However, in warmed plots, nitrogen addition clearly decreased A _max, antioxidant compounds, and induced higher accumulation of AOS and MDA. Obviously, the beneficial effects of sole nitrogen on growth and physiology of Picea asperata seedlings could not be magnified by artificial warming.     

Belowground responses of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Picea asperata</Emphasis> seedlings to warming and nitrogen fertilization in the eastern Tibetan Plateau

The impacts of global climatic change on belowground ecological processes of terrestrial ecosystems are still not clear. We therefore conducted an experiment in the subalpine coniferous forest ecosystem of the eastern edges of the Tibetan Plateau to study roots of Picea asperata seedlings and rhizosphere soil responses to soil warming and nitrogen availability from April 2007 to December 2008. The seedlings were subjected to two levels of temperature (ambient; infrared heater warming) and two nitrogen levels (0 or 25 g m⁻²year⁻¹ N). We used a free air temperature increase from an overhead infrared heater to raise both air and soil temperature by 2.1 and 2.6°C, respectively. The results showed that warming alone significantly increased total biomass, coarse root biomass and fine root biomass of P. asperata seedlings. Both total biomass and fine root biomass were increased, but coarse root biomass was significantly decreased by nitrogen fertilization and warming combined with nitrogen fertilization. Warming induced a prominent increase in soil organic carbon (SOC) and NO₃ ⁻-N of rhizosphere soil, while nitrogen fertilization significantly decreased SOC and NH₄ ⁺-N of rhizosphere soil. The warming, fertilization and warming × N fertilization interaction decreased soil microbial C significantly, but substantially increased soil microbial N. These results suggest that nitrogen deposition combined with warmer temperatures under future climatic change possibly will have no effect on fine root production of P. asperata seedlings, but could enhance the nitrification process of their rhizosphere soils in subalpine coniferous forests.     

Warming effects on growth and physiology in the seedlings of the two conifers <Emphasis Type="Italic">Picea asperata</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Abies faxoniana</Emphasis> under two contrasting light conditions

The short-term effects of two levels of air temperature (ambient and warmed) and light (full light and ca. 10% of full light regimes) on the early growth and physiology of Picea asperata and Abies faxoniana seedlings was determined using open-top chambers (OTC). The OTC manipulation increased mean air temperature and soil surface temperature by 0.51°C and 0.34°C under the 60-year plantation, and 0.69°C and 0.41°C under the forest opening, respectively. Warming, with either full-light or low-light conditions, generally caused a significant increase in plant growth, biomass accumulation, and stimulated photosynthetic performance of P. asperata seedlings. However, the warming of A. faxoniana seedlings only significantly increased their growth under low-light conditions, possibly as a result of photoinhibition caused by full light, which may shield and/or impair the effects of warming manipulation, per se, on the growth and physiological performance of A. faxoniana seedlings. In response to warming, P. asperata seedlings allocated relatively more biomass to roots and A. faxoniana more to foliage under similar environments. This might provide A. faxoniana with an adaptive advantage when soil moisture was not limiting and an advantage to P. asperata if substantial moisture stress occurred. Warming markedly increased the efficiency of PSII in terms of the increase in F _v/F _m and photosynthetic pigment concentrations for the two conifer seedlings, but the effects of warming were generally more pronounced under low-light conditions than under full-light conditions. On balance, this study suggested that warming had a beneficial impact on the early growth and development of conifer seedlings, at least in the short term. Consequently, warming may lead to changes in forest regeneration dynamics and species composition for subalpine coniferous ecosystems under future climate change.     

Long‐term experimental manipulation of climate alters the ectomycorrhizal community of Betula nana in Arctic tundra

Climate warming is leading to shrub expansion in Arctic tundra. Shrubs form ectomycorrhizal (ECM) associations with soil fungi that are central to ecosystem carbon balance as determinants of plant community structure and as decomposers of soil organic matter. To assess potential climate change impacts on ECM communities, we analysed fungal internal transcribed spacer sequences from ECM root tips of the dominant tundra shrub Betula nana growing in treatments plots that had received long‐term warming by greenhouses and/or fertilization as part of the Arctic Long‐Term Ecological Research experiment at Toolik Lake Alaska, USA. We demonstrate opposing effects of long‐term warming and fertilization treatments on ECM fungal diversity; with warming increasing and fertilization reducing the diversity of ECM communities. We show that warming leads to a significant increase in high biomass fungi with proteolytic capacity, especially Cortinarius spp., and a reduction of fungi with high affinities for labile N, especially Russula spp. In contrast, fertilization treatments led to relatively small changes in the composition of the ECM community, but increased the abundance of saprotrophs. Our data suggest that warming profoundly alters nutrient cycling in tundra, and may facilitate the expansion of B. nana through the formation of mycorrhizal networks of larger size.     

短期施肥对桉树人工林土壤真菌群落结构及功能类群的影响

为探索桉树人工林土壤真菌群落对短期施肥的响应特征,本研究利用Illumina高通量测序技术和FUNGuild平台,分析短期施肥和不施肥(control, CK)处理下土壤真菌的群落结构、功能类群及其影响因子。结果表明:桉树土壤真菌群落主要由担子菌门和子囊菌门主导,分别占48.61%—46.74%和39.31%—38.08%,短期施肥对真菌门水平的影响不显著。在目水平上,施肥处理中牛肝菌目(23.73%)和散囊菌目(19.95%)的相对丰度显著高于CK处理,分别为CK的7.65和1.72倍,而古根菌目、爪甲团囊菌目、银耳菌目等优势菌目的相对丰度则低于CK处理。短期施肥后土壤真菌α多样性和丰富度指数有所降低,主坐标分析表明,施肥组与CK组真菌群落结构差异显著。桉树土壤真菌的营养类型以腐生型为主,施肥处理中共生型真菌相对丰度显著增加,是CK的4.19倍,且增加以外生菌根马勃菌为主,而大多数其他营养类型真菌的相对丰度则显著减少。冗余分析表明,土壤有效养分含量、微生物碳、土壤有机碳、pH值和土壤含水量等土壤因子是影响群落的主要因子。短期施肥显著改变桉树人工林土壤真菌群落结构和功能类群,增加共生真菌比例,改善土壤质量。     

Ectomycorrhizal fungal community structure across a bog-forest ecotone in southeastern Alaska

We examined the ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungal community across a bog-forest ecotone in southeastern Alaska. The bog and edge were both characterized by poorly drained Histosols and a continuous layer of Sphagnum species, ericaceous shrubs, Carex species, and shore pine [Pinus contorta Dougl. ex Loud. var. contorta]. The forest had better-drained Inceptisols and Spodosols, a tree community comprised of western hemlock [Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.], yellow cedar (Thuja plicata Donn ex D. Don.), Sitka spruce [Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr.] and shore pine, and an understorey of ericaceous shrubs and herbs. ECM root tip density (tips cm^–3 soil) was significantly greater in the forest than the edge or bog and ECM colonization was significantly different in all three plant communities. The below ground ECM fungal taxa were analyzed using molecular techniques (PCR-RFLP and DNA sequencing). Three ECM fungal taxa, Suillus tomentosus (Kauffman) Singer, Cenococcum geophilum Fr.:Fr, and a Russula species, differed in relative frequency, yet were among the four most frequent in all three plant communities. Although differences in ECM fungal richness were observed across plant communities, unequal sampling of ECM roots due to root density and colonization differences confounded richness comparisons. Using resampling procedures for creating taxon-accumulation curves as a function of sampled ECM roots revealed similarities in cumulative ECM fungal taxa richness across the ecotone.     

Ectomycorrhizal fungal response to warming is linked to poor host performance at the boreal‐temperate ecotone

Rising temperatures associated with climate change have been shown to negatively affect the photosynthetic rates of boreal forest tree saplings at their southern range limits. To quantify the responses of ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungal communities associated with poorly performing hosts, we sampled the roots of Betula papyrifera and Abies balsamea saplings growing in the B4Warmed (Boreal Forest Warming at an Ecotone in Danger) experiment. EM fungi on the root systems of both hosts were compared from ambient and +3.4 °C air and soil warmed plots at two sites in northern Minnesota. EM fungal communities were assessed with high‐throughput sequencing along with measures of plant photosynthesis, soil temperature, moisture, and nitrogen. Warming selectively altered EM fungal community composition at both the phylum and genus levels, but had no significant effect on EM fungal operational taxonomic unit (OTU) diversity. Notably, warming strongly favored EM Ascomycetes and EM fungi with short‐contact hyphal exploration types. Declining host photosynthetic rates were also significantly inversely correlated with EM Ascomycete and EM short‐contact exploration type abundance, which may reflect a shift to less carbon demanding fungi due to lower photosynthetic capacity. Given the variation in EM host responses to warming, both within and between ecosystems, better understanding the link between host performance and EM fungal community structure will to clarify how climate change effects cascade belowground.     

Effects of ectomycorrhizal colonization and nitrogen fertilization on morphology of root tips in a <Emphasis Type="Italic">Larix gmelinii</Emphasis> plantation in northeastern China

Root morphology is important in understanding root functions in forest ecosystems. However, the effects of ectomycorrhizal colonization and soil nutrient availability on root morphology is not clear. In this study, root morphology in relation to season, soil depth, soil nitrogen (N) availability, and mycorrhizal fungal colonization were investigated in a larch (Larix gmelinii) plantation in northeastern China. The first-order roots (or root tips) of larch were sampled four times in May, July, and September of 2005, and May of 2006 from two depths of upper soil layer (0–10 and 10–20 cm) in the control and the N-fertilized plots. The results showed that ectomycorrhizal (ECM) colonization rates for the first-order roots were reduced by 17% under N fertilization. The peak of root colonization rates occurred in summer and was positively correlated with soil temperature. ECM colonization significantly altered root morphology: root diameter was increased by 19 and 29%, root length shortened by 27 and 25%, and specific root length (SRL) reduced by 16 and 19% for the control and the N-fertilized plots, respectively. N fertilization led to decreased root length, but did not affect root diameter and SRL. In addition, effects of ECM colonization on root morphology varied with season and soil depth. The observed relationships among ECM fungal colonization, soil N availability, and root-tip morphology should improve our understanding of how root tips respond to environmental changes in soil in temperate forest ecosystems.     

Impact of soil stockpiling on ericoid mycorrhizal colonization and growth of velvetleaf blueberry (Vaccinium myrtilloides) and Labrador tea (Ledum groenlandicum)

Soil stockpiling is a common practice prior to the reclamation of surface mines. In this study, velvetleaf blueberry and Labrador tea plants were grown from seed in fresh soil, stockpiled soil (1 year), and autoclaved stockpiled soil (1 year) obtained from the Canadian boreal forest. After 7 months of growth, the root colonization intensity with ericoid mycorrhizal (ERM) fungi in both plants growing in stockpiled soil was lower compared to plants growing in the fresh soil. The diversity of ERM fungal species in roots also decreased due to soil stockpiling and Pezoloma ericae was absent from the plants growing in stockpiled soil. Changes in the ERM root colonization in plants growing in stockpiled soil were accompanied by decreases in root and shoot dry weights. Leaf chlorophyll, nitrogen, and phosphorus concentrations of velvetleaf blueberry were higher in fresh soil compared to 1‐year stockpiled soil. Plants grown in the autoclaved stockpiled soil became colonized by the thermotolerant ERM fungus Leohumicola verrucosa and showed higher root and shoot biomass compared to the nonautoclaved stockpiled soil. The results point to the importance of ERM fungi for growth of ericaceous plants, even under favorable environmental conditions and adequate fertilization, and suggest that reduced ERM colonization intensity and ERM fungal diversity in roots likely contributed to the negative effects of soil stockpiling on growth of velvetleaf blueberry and Labrador tea.     

Establishment of ectomycorrhizal fungal community on isolated Nothofagus cunninghamii seedlings regenerating on dead wood in Australian wet temperate forests: does fruit-body type matter?

Decaying wood provides an important habitat for animals and forms a seed bed for many shade-intolerant, small-seeded plants, particularly Nothofagus. Using morphotyping and rDNA sequence analysis, we compared the ectomycorrhizal fungal community of isolated N. cunninghamii seedlings regenerating in decayed wood against that of mature tree roots in the forest floor soil. The /cortinarius, /russula-lactarius, and /laccaria were the most species-rich and abundant lineages in forest floor soil in Australian sites at Yarra, Victoria and Warra, Tasmania. On root tips of seedlings in dead wood, a subset of the forest floor taxa were prevalent among them species of /laccaria, /tomentella-thelephora, and /descolea, but other forest floor dominants were rare. Statistical analyses suggested that the fungal community differs between forest floor soil and dead wood at the level of both species and phylogenetic lineage. The fungal species colonizing isolated seedlings on decayed wood in austral forests were taxonomically dissimilar to the species dominating in similar habitats in Europe. We conclude that formation of a resupinate fruit body type on the underside of decayed wood is not necessarily related to preferential root colonization in decayed wood. Rather, biogeographic factors as well as differential dispersal and competitive abilities of fungal taxa are likely to play a key role in structuring the ectomycorrhizal fungal community on isolated seedlings in decaying wood.