The Antibiotic-Aided Distinguishing of Fungal and Bacterial Substrate-Induced Respiration in Various Soil Ecosystems

Fungal and bacterial substrate-induced respiration have been distinguished in gray forest and chestnut soils in various ecosystems (forest, grassland, arable soil, fallow land, and shelterbelt) using the antibiotics cycloheximide and streptomycin. The optimal inhibitory concentrations of the antibiotics, added separately and in combination; the preincubation time of the antibiotics with the soil before glucose addition; and the mass of added inert material (talc) have been determined. The inhibitor additivity ratio (IAR) has been calculated for the antibiotics. With the IAR differing from 1.0 by a value of more than 5%, the fungal and bacterial substrate-induced respiration cannot be distinguished reliably. Respiration measurements show that the microbial communities of natural ecosystems are dominated by fungi (81–95% on average). The smallest amount of fungi (54–59%) is found in the arable soil ecosystem.__________Translated from Mikrobiologiya, Vol. 74, No. 3, 2005, pp. 394–400.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Susyan, Ananyeva, Blagodatskaya.     

The ratio of fungi and bacteria in the biomass of different types of soil determined by selective inhibition

Tundra, chernozem (virgin and arable), sod-podzolic (coniferous forest, meadow, and arable), and grey forest (larch forest) soils were used to separate the contributions of fungi and bacteria to substrate-induced respiration (SIR) with the help of antibiotics. For soils with a high content of organic matter (tundra and chernozem: 12 and 8%, respectively), the procedure of selective inhibition of SIR has been optimized. The optimized procedure includes the application of high concentrations of streptomycin (50-120 mg/g of soil) and cycloheximide (50-80 mg/g of soil) and decreasing the weight of the analyzed soil sample. Soils under study have shown the predominant contribution of fungi (63-82%) to the total SIR. The fungal-bacterial ratio in the soils of natural ecosystems (0-5 cm, without litter) was 4.32, 2.19, 1.5, and 1.5 for tundra soil, virgin chernozem, coniferous (sod-podzolic soil), and larch (grey forest soil) forests, respectively. The lower layers of sod-podzolic (5-10 cm) and grey forest (48-58 cm) soils showed a decrease in the fungal and increase in the bacterial component in the total SIR.     

The ratio of fungi and bacteria in the biomass of different types of soil determined by selective inhibition

Tundra, chernozem (virgin and arable), soddy-podzolic (coniferous forest, meadow, and arable), and grey forest (larch forest) soils were used to separate the contributions of fungi and bacteria to substrate-induced respiration (SIR) with the help of antibiotics. For soils with a high content of organic matter (tundra and chernozem: 12 and 8%, respectively), the procedure of selective inhibition of SIR has been optimized. This procedure consists in application of high concentrations of streptomycin (50–120 mg/g of soil) and cycloheximide (50–80 mg/g of soil) and decreasing the weight of the analyzed soil sample. Soils under study have shown the predominant contribution of fungi (63–82%) to the total SIR. The fungal-bacterial ratio in the soils of natural ecosystems (0–5 cm, without litter) was 4.3, 2.2, 1.5, and 1.5 for tundra soil, virgin chernozem, coniferous (soddy-podzolic soil), and larch (grey forest soil) forests, respectively. The lower layers of soddy-podzolic (5–10 cm) and grey forest (48–58 cm) soils showed a decrease in the fungal and increase in the bacterial component in the total SIR.     

Potential Physiological Activities of Fungi and Bacteria in Relation to Plant Litter Decomposition along a Gap Size Gradient in a Natural Subtropical Forest

Abstract The dynamics of fungal and bacterial potential physiological activities during leaf, branch, and bark litter decomposition along a gap size gradient in a subtropical forest was determined using substrate-induced respiration (SIR) with antibiotics selective for fungi and bacteria, respectively. A gap size gradient (1) was under closed canopy; (2) had small gaps with a diameter (≤5m); (3) had small to intermediate gaps (5–15 m diameter); (4) had intermediate to large gaps (15–30 m diameter); and (5) had large gaps (≥30 m diameter). Litter decomposition was studied using a litter bag technique. Fungi had higher SIR than bacteria for each type of litter in any size class of gaps. Gaps 1, 2, and 3 had higher fungal and bacterial SIRs than gaps 4 and 5. Moreover, decomposing leaf litter exhibited higher fungal and bacterial SIRs than branch, and branch higher than bark. Simple correlation analysis indicated that fungal SIR was a reliable index of decomposition rates. Fungal SIR was significantly and positively correlated with soil moisture, whereas bacterial SIR was not significantly correlated with soil moisture. The relationships among microclimatic factors, fungal and bacterial physiological activities, and rates of plant litter decomposition suggest that, in subtropical ecosystems, fungal community activities were strongly and directly regulated by the environmental heterogeneity within gaps, and an important regulator of rates of plant litter decomposition rates. Received: 13 January 1997; Accepted 28 March 1997     

Fungal and Bacterial Activity in Northern Peatlands

Selective inhibition of substrate-induced respiration with antibiotics cycloheximide and streptomycin sulphate provided insight into eukaryotic versus prokaryotic activities in surface peat soil of three Canadian peatlands. Prokaryotic and eukaryotic communities in peatlands are important in the net sequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide and therefore play a unique role in global carbon cycling. Selective inhibition techniques were generally successful, with a maximum non-target inhibition of only 17%. Assuming that eukaryotic and prokaryotic activities were dominated by fungi and bacteria respectively, across 3 ecologically and hydrologically diverse and spatially dispersed peatlands, we demonstrated bacterial dominance in a bog and a poor fen both with acidic and primarily Sphagnum derived peat soil and in a near pH neutral wetter rich fen with sedge peat (fungal to bacterial activity ratio = 0.31 to 0.68). These results differ in that in other acidic environments, such as conifer forest soils, fungal to bacterial activity ratios are mostly greater than 1 indicative of fungal dominance.     

Microclimate and forest management alter fungal-to-bacterial ratio and N<Subscript>2</Subscript>O-emission during rewetting in the forest floor and mineral soil of mountainous beech forests

The effects of site exposure (microclimate) and forest management (thinning) on fungal-to-bacterial (F:B) respiratory ratio and N₂O emission from forest floor and Ah layer samples were studied at untreated and thinned beech forests. Microclimate effects were studied by selecting sites facing north-east (NE) or south-west (SW). The F:B respiratory ratio was estimated using substrate-induced respiration in combination with inhibitors either affecting fungi or bacteria. N₂O production was evaluated after moistening samples initially pre-incubated at different moisture levels to 100% of the water holding capacity (WHC). F:B respiratory ratios were significantly affected by microclimate and thinning, with site exposure having the strongest effect on fungal-to-bacterial ratio and N₂O production both for the forest floor and the Ah layer. Significantly more N₂O was produced from soils pre-incubated under low (15% WHC) moisture conditions as compared to soils pre-incubated under air dry (5% WHC) or wet conditions (30–60% WHC). A positive correlation between N₂O emission and F:B respiratory ratio for Ah layer samples and a negative correlation between bacterial substrate induced respiration (SIR) and N₂O emission for both Ah layer and forest floor samples indicated that net N₂O production was the result of predominantly fungal N₂O production and predominantly bacterial N₂O consumption. The latter hypothesis was further supported by increased N₂O emission from samples treated with bacterial inhibitor.     

Development and validation of an oligonucleotide microarray to characterise ectomycorrhizal fungal communities

Background  

In forest ecosystems, communities of ectomycorrhizal fungi (ECM) are influenced by several biotic and abiotic factors. To understand their underlying dynamics, ECM communities have been surveyed with ribosomal DNA-based sequencing methods. However, most identification methods are both time-consuming and limited by the number of samples that can be treated in a realistic time frame. As a result of ongoing implementation, the array technique has gained throughput capacity in terms of the number of samples and the capacity for parallel identification of several species. Thus far, although phylochips (microarrays that are used to detect species) have been mostly developed to trace bacterial communities or groups of specific fungi, no phylochip has been developed to carry oligonucleotides for several ectomycorrhizal species that belong to different genera.     

毛竹林和阔叶林凋落物互置对土壤氮矿化的影响及微生物贡献

凋落物输入方式的改变导致凋落物数量和质量发生变化,进而对森林土壤氮矿化产生影响。选择未被入侵的次生阔叶林和毛竹入侵后形成的毛竹纯林为对象,对地表凋落物进行保留、去除与置换处理,采用室内培养法同时添加抗生素(链霉素和放线菌酮)分析真菌和细菌在土壤氮素矿化中的贡献。结果表明：(1)去除凋落物处理使阔叶林土壤净氨化速率增加27.0%,净硝化速率降低11.4%;毛竹林土壤净氨化速率增加23.4%。(2)置换凋落物处理使阔叶林土壤净氨化速率增加43.8%,净硝化速率降低33.5%;毛竹林土壤净硝化速率增加73.1%。(3)添加抗生素后,凋落物置换处理与对照相比,置换凋落物后阔叶林土壤真菌和细菌在净氨化中发挥主要作用;真菌在两种林分土壤净硝化中发挥主要作用,细菌在阔叶林土壤净硝化中发挥主要作用。(4)结合测定的凋落物化学性质可知,置换凋落物后引起真菌和细菌在土壤氮素矿化中贡献发生变化,是由于输入凋落物中木质素和纤维素含量的变化。综上,凋落物去除和置换改变了土壤氮素矿化速率,置换凋落物后改变了真菌和细菌对土壤氮素矿化的贡献。解析凋落物质量在土壤氮素矿化中的作用及微生物群落的相对贡献,有助于阐明毛竹入...     

Comparative assessment of soil microbial biomass determined by the methods of direct microscopy and substrate-induced respiration

The content of microbial biomass (MB) was determined in samples of gray forest, chestnut, and tundra soils with different physicochemical properties (0.4–22.7% C_org; 8.4–26.8% silt particles; pH 4.3–8.4) by the methods of substrate-induced respiration (MB_SIR) and direct microscopy (MB_M). The samples of two upper soil layers, 0–5 and 5–10 cm (without plant litter), from different ecosystems (forest, forest shelter belt, meadow, fallow, and arable) and elements of relief of interfluvial tundra (block/upper land plateau, depression between blocks) have been analyzed. The content of microbial biomass in the 0–5-cm soil layer was 216–8134 and 348–7513 μg C/g soil as measured by the methods of substrate-induced respiration and direct microscopy, respectively. The MB_SIR and MB_M values closely correlated with each other: r = 0.90 and 0.74 for 0–5 and 5–10 cm, respectively. The average MB_SIR/MB_M ratio was 90 and 60% for 0–5 and 5–10 cm, respectively. The portion of microbial carbon in total organic soil carbon was, on average, 4 and 3% (SIR) and 5 and 7% (direct microscopy) for 0–5 and 5–10 cm, respectively. Possible reasons for the differences between MB_SIR and MB_M values in the soils under study are discussed.     

Significant and persistent impact of timber harvesting on soil microbial communities in Northern coniferous forests

Forest ecosystems have integral roles in climate stability, biodiversity and economic development. Soil stewardship is essential for sustainable forest management. Organic matter (OM) removal and soil compaction are key disturbances associated with forest harvesting, but their impacts on forest ecosystems are not well understood. Because microbiological processes regulate soil ecology and biogeochemistry, microbial community structure might serve as indicator of forest ecosystem status, revealing changes in nutrient and energy flow patterns before they have irreversible effects on long-term soil productivity. We applied massively parallel pyrosequencing of over 4.6 million ribosomal marker sequences to assess the impact of OM removal and soil compaction on bacterial and fungal communities in a field experiment replicated at six forest sites in British Columbia, Canada. More than a decade after harvesting, diversity and structure of soil bacterial and fungal communities remained significantly altered by harvesting disturbances, with individual taxonomic groups responding differentially to varied levels of the disturbances. Plant symbionts, like ectomycorrhizal fungi, and saprobic taxa, such as ascomycetes and actinomycetes, were among the most sensitive to harvesting disturbances. Given their significant ecological roles in forest development, the fate of these taxa might be critical for sustainability of forest ecosystems. Although abundant bacterial populations were ubiquitous, abundant fungal populations often revealed a patchy distribution, consistent with their higher sensitivity to the examined soil disturbances. These results establish a comprehensive inventory of bacterial and fungal community composition in northern coniferous forests and demonstrate the long-term response of their structure to key disturbances associated with forest harvesting.     

Assay of bacterial and fungal activity in diesel contaminated soil using a 14C-glucose utilization method

Changes in the relative metabolism of soil bacteria and fungi following contamination with diesel were assessed using a modified substrate-induced respiration (SIR) method including selective antibiotic inhibition. ¹⁴CO₂ release from radiolabelled glucose was used as an indication of population activity. In a Sandy Gley Soil with no history of contamination, the population activity shifted from 38 ± 4% (bacterial): 62 ± 4% (fungal) to 73 ± 4% (bacterial): 27 ± 4% (fungal) after treatment with diesel.     

粉垄耕作对耕地土壤酶活性、微生物群落结构和功能多样性的影响

粉垄耕作是中国的一种新型耕作技术,对耕地质量和作物增产有重要影响。设置传统耕作深度20 cm(CK)、粉垄耕作深度35 cm(FL1)和粉垄耕作深度50 cm(FL2)对玉米耕地进行处理,重点研究了粉垄耕作技术对土壤微生态的影响,并阐明土壤微生物群落组成及功能对粉垄耕作的响应。结果表明,FL1、FL2和CK处理玉米产量分别为8.58、8.38和6.22 t/hm~2,FL1和FL2处理增产率分别为34.7%—37.9%。在0—20、20—40 cm土层中,粉垄耕作两个处理的土壤酶活性、微生物群落多样性和功能多样性均显著高于CK处理。通过结构方程模型发现,粉垄耕作直接提高了土壤酶活性、细菌参与养分循环的功能基团和细菌的群落结构,并通过细菌群落间接影响了真菌群落,增加了真菌参与养分循环的功能基团和真菌群落多样性,使土壤微生物碳源利用的能力和功能多样性指数得到提升,以FL1效果更佳。总之,研究从微生物的角度解释了粉垄耕作对土壤微生态的影响机制,为粉垄耕作提升土壤耕地质量提供了理论依据。     

Relationships between temperature responses and bacterial community structure along seasonal and altitudinal gradients

In this study, soil bacterial communities and the temperature responses (Q10) of substrate-induced respiration were compared between an alpine dry meadow and a subalpine forest in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Bacterial communities in three seasons from each environment were described with 16S rRNA gene clone libraries. The main goal of this comparison was to relate phylogenetic differences among bacterial communities with variation in soil respiratory temperature sensitivities along seasonal and altitudinal gradients. The warmer, lower elevation, subalpine forest soil exhibited large seasonal variations in Q10. Subalpine Q10 values were highest in summer, and were higher than alpine values in all seasons except winter. Q10 in alpine soils were consistently low throughout the year. Alpine and subalpine bacterial communities both varied seasonally, and were markedly distinct from each other. Based on Fst analysis, subalpine communities from colder times of year were more similar to the alpine communities than were subalpine summer communities. Principle component analysis of the pairwise genetic distances (Fst) between communities produced two factors that accounted for 69% and 22% of the total variance in the data set. These factors demonstrated a significant relationship between bacterial community structure and temperature response when regressed on log-transformed Q10 data.     

峡谷型喀斯特不同生态系统的土壤微生物数量及生物量特征

采用样地调查与室内分析相结合的方法,研究了峡谷型喀斯特水田、旱地、草地、灌丛、人工林、次生林6种生态系统不同深度土壤微生物数量、微生物生物量特征及其分形关系。结果表明:峡谷型喀斯特不同生态系统的土壤微生物数量及组成不同,微生物数量均以次生林最高,旱地最低,其组成数量均为细菌放线菌真菌,细菌是土壤微生物的主要类群,数量多达26.66×105—71.64×105cfu/g,占全部微生物比例为87.00%—95.50%,其次为放线菌数量,为1.45×105—3.78×105cfu/g,所占比例为4.21%—12.39%,真菌数量最小,为0.07×105—0.23×105cfu/g,所占比例仅为0.24%—0.61%,不足1%。不同生态系统土壤微生物生物量碳(MBC)、氮(MBN)、磷(MBP)的含量不同,次生林MBC与MBN最高,人工林MBP最高,旱地MBC最低,草地MBN与MBP最低;各生态系统均为MBCMBNMBP。不同生态系统的MBC/SOC、MBN/TN、MBP/TP分别为0.44%—0.97%、2.13%—3.13%、1.46%—2.13%,差异不显著;MBC/MBN在3.06—6.54之间,其中次生林极显著高于其他生态系统,其他生态系统差异不显著。不同生态系统土壤微生物数量及生物量均随土层加深而减少,且具有良好分形关系,均达到了极显著水平(P0.01)。探讨土壤微生物活性为提高石灰土土壤肥力、促进喀斯特植被迅速恢复提供依据。     

藏东南典型暗针叶林不同土壤剖面微生物群落特征

深层土壤中的微生物群落对陆地生态系统养分和能量循环转化过程不可或缺,研究青藏高原典型暗针叶林带土壤微生物群落在土壤垂直剖面的变化特征,对深入认识高寒区域森林生态系统土壤微生物群落构建特征及全球变化影响预测具有重要意义。运用Illumina Miseq高通量测序技术和分子生态网络分析,研究藏东南色季拉山暗针叶林带表层（0-20 cm）和底层土壤（40-60 cm）微生物群落组成及分子生态网络结构。研究结果表明随着土壤深度增加,真菌和细菌的丰富度和Shannon多样性指数显著降低。主坐标分析（PCoA）显示土壤深度显著影响真菌和细菌的群落结构（P < 0.01）。不同微生物种群对土壤深度的响应有显著差异,座囊菌纲（Dothideomycetes）、银耳纲（Tremellomycetes）和拟杆菌门（Bacteroidetes）、变形菌门（Proteobacteria）的相对丰度随剖面加深而显著降低,而古菌根菌纲（Archaeorhizomycetes）和绿弯菌门（Chloroflexi）则显著增加。分子生态网络分析发现,真菌网络以负相关连接为主（占总连接数65%-98%）,而细菌网络以正相关连接为主（69%-75%）,真菌和细菌网络中正相关连接的比例均随剖面加深而增加。底层土壤真菌和细菌网络的平均连接度和平均聚类系数均高于表层土壤,说明微生物网络随土壤深度的增加而变得更复杂。真菌网络的平均路径距离和模块性在底层土壤均大于表层土壤,意味着真菌网络应对环境变化的稳定性随剖面加深而增加,而细菌网络则正相反,在表层土壤的稳定性更强。真菌网络中连接节点的个数随剖面加深而增加,锤舌菌纲（Leotiomycetes）是连接网络模块的关键菌种;在细菌网络中模块枢纽和连接节点则随剖面加深而降低,并且放线菌门、变形菌门等关键种群在分子生态网络中的功能在表层和底层土壤有明显差异。综上所述,藏东南色季拉山暗针叶林带深层土壤中微生物群落特征与表层土壤有显著差别,揭示影响深层土壤微生物网络构建和稳定的关键种群,对深入理解和预测青藏高原森林生态系统对全球变化的响应与反馈有重要意义。     

Antibiosis between ruminal bacteria and ruminal fungi

Cellulose digestion, bacterial numbers, and fungal numbers were monitored over time in vitro by using a purified cellulose medium with and without antibiotics (penicillin and streptomycin). All fermentations were inoculated with a 1:10 dilution of whole rumen contents (WRC). Without antibiotics, cellulose digestion was higher (P < 0.01) at 24, 30, 48, and 72 h; fungi had almost disappeared by 24 h, while bacterial concentrations increased over 100-fold in 24 h and then decreased gradually up to 72 h. In those fermentations with added antibiotics, fungal concentrations increased 4-fold by 30 h and up to 42-fold at 72 h; bacterial concentrations were markedly reduced by 24 h and remained low through 72 h. Similar results were obtained with ground alfalfa as a substrate. In further studies, the in vitro fermentation of purified cellulose without antibiotics was stopped after 18 to 20 h, and the microbial population was killed by autoclaving. Antibiotics were added to half of the tubes, and all tubes were reinoculated with WRC. After 72 h, extensive cellulose digestion had occurred in those tubes without antibiotics, as compared to very low cellulose digestion with added antibiotics. The extent of this inhibition was found to increase in proportion to the length of the initial fermentation period, suggesting the production of a heat-stable inhibitory factor or factors. The inhibitory activity was present in rumen fluid, could be extracted from lyophilized rumen fluid (LRF) with water, and was stable in response to proteolytic enzymes. In addition, the water-extracted residue of LRF was found to contain growth factor activity for rumen fungi in vitro.     

伴下呼吸道多重耐药菌感染的慢性阻塞性肺病患者病原菌分布及危险因素分析

目的 探讨伴下呼吸道多重耐药菌感染的慢性阻塞性肺病（COPD）患者病原菌分布及其危险因素。方法 选取2017年1月至2018年6月我院收治的138例COPD伴下呼吸道感染患者作为研究对象,根据下呼吸道分泌物是否分离出多重耐药菌将患者分为多重耐药组（MDR组,71例）和非多重耐药组（NMDR组,67例）。采用全自动细菌鉴定仪对菌种进行鉴定,采用K-B纸片法进行药敏试验,并分析多重耐药菌感染的危险因素。结果 多重耐药组患者共分离出84株病原菌,其中革兰阴性菌所占比例最高,为58.33%;革兰阳性菌与真菌分别占22.62%和19.05%。MDR组与NMDR组患者在COPD分级、住院时间、机械通气治疗、侵入性操作、长期使用糖皮质激素、长期使用抗菌药物及糖尿病史方面差异均有统计学意义（P<0.05）。多因素Logistic回归分析显示机械通气治疗、侵入性操作、使用糖皮质激素、长期使用抗菌药物及糖尿病史是多重耐药菌感染的独立危险因素（P<0.05）。结论 COPD伴下呼吸道多重耐药菌感染病原菌以革兰阴性菌为主,机械通气治疗、侵入性操作、长期使用糖皮质激素、长期使用抗菌药物及糖尿病史是发生感染的独立危险因素。建议根据病原菌种类选择相应的敏感药物,并采取针对危险因素的有效措施。     

森林干扰生态研究

陆地上80％的生态系统都已受到了来自人类和自然的各种干扰,森林生态系统也不例外．在各种干扰作用下,尤其是人类不合理的干扰导致世界范围内的森林退化／衰退已成为一个十分严峻的事实,因此,以维持、恢复森林生态系统固有的多种功能为基础,实现高效、稳定、可持续就成为经营森林生态系统的总目标．随着干扰的加剧,近年来生态学界更加关注的是“受干扰”生态系统的研究．干扰对森林生态系统主要生态过程的影响以及森林生态系统对干扰的响应等问题,已成为森林生态研究领域的国际前沿与热点．因此,系统地研究干扰条件下森林生态系统的生态过程,并在此基础上确立干扰森林的经营理论与技术,对中国天然林资源保护等林业工程实施及国家生态安全建设具有重要的科学和现实意义．本文在广泛收集国内外有关森林干扰研究结果的基础上,总结了森林干扰的基本概念,分析了干扰与森林经营的关系,探讨了森林干扰研究领域所涉及的内容和关注的基础问题,提出了森林干扰生态研究的主要内容与方向,对今后干扰森林生态研究和中国天然林保护等林业工程建设具有参考价值．     

菌根真菌影响森林生态系统碳循环研究进展

森林生态系统在全球碳(C)储量中占据极为重要的地位。菌根真菌广泛存在于森林生态系统中,在森林生态系统C循环过程中发挥重要的作用。阐述了不同菌根类型真菌在森林生态系统C循环过程中的功能,对比了温带/北方森林与热带/亚热带森林中菌根真菌介导的C循环研究方面新近取得的研究结果。发现温带和北方森林的外生菌根(EcM)植物对地上生物量C的贡献相对较小,然而是地下C储量的主要贡献者;以丛枝菌根(AM)共生为主的热带/亚热带森林地表生物量占比较高,表明AM植被对热带/亚热带森林地上生物量C的贡献相对较大。我们还就全球变化背景下,菌根真菌及其介导的森林生态系统C汇功能,以及不同菌根类型树种影响C循环的机制等进行了总结。菌根真菌通过影响凋落物分解、土壤有机质形成及地下根系生物量,进而影响整个森林生态系统的C循环功能。菌根介导的森林C循环过程很大程度上取决于(优势)树木的菌根类型和森林土壤中菌根真菌的群落结构。最后指出了当前研究存在的主要问题以及未来研究展望。本文旨在明确菌根真菌在森林生态系统C循环转化过程中的重要生态功能,有助于准确地评估森林生态系统C汇现状,为应对全球变化等提供重要的依据。     

Ectomycorrhizal-Dominated Boreal and Tropical Forests Have Distinct Fungal Communities,but Analogous Spatial Patterns across Soil Horizons

Fungi regulate key nutrient cycling processes in many forest ecosystems, but their diversity and distribution within and across ecosystems are poorly understood. Here, we examine the spatial distribution of fungi across a boreal and tropical ecosystem, focusing on ectomycorrhizal fungi. We analyzed fungal community composition across litter (organic horizons) and underlying soil horizons (0–20 cm) using 454 pyrosequencing and clone library sequencing. In both forests, we found significant clustering of fungal communities by site and soil horizons with analogous patterns detected by both sequencing technologies. Free-living saprotrophic fungi dominated the recently-shed leaf litter and ectomycorrhizal fungi dominated the underlying soil horizons. This vertical pattern of fungal segregation has also been found in temperate and European boreal forests, suggesting that these results apply broadly to ectomycorrhizal-dominated systems, including tropical rain forests. Since ectomycorrhizal and free-living saprotrophic fungi have different influences on soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics, information on the spatial distribution of these functional groups will improve our understanding of forest nutrient cycling.