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Do ectomycorrhizal and arbuscular mycorrhizal temperate tree species systematically differ in root order-related fine root morphology and biomass?

ABSTRACT: While most temperate broad-leaved tree species form ectomycorrhizal (EM) symbioses, a few species have arbuscular mycorrhizas (AM). It is not known whether EM and AM tree species differ systematically with respect to fine root morphology, fine root system size and root functioning. In a species-rich temperate mixed forest, we studied the fine root morphology and biomass of three EM and three AM tree species from the genera Acer, Carpinus, Fagus, Fraxinus, and Tilia searching for principal differences between EM and AM trees. We further assessed the evidence of convergence or divergence in root traits among the six co-occurring species. Eight fine root morphological and chemical traits were investigated in root segments of the first to fourth root order in three different soil depths and the relative importance of the factors root order, tree species and soil depth for root morphology was determined. Root order was more influential than tree species while soil depth had only a small effect on root morphology All six species showed similar decreases in specific root length and specific root area from the 1st to the 4th root order, while the species patterns differed considerably in root tissue density, root N concentration, and particularly with respect to root tip abundance. Most root morphological traits were not significantly different between EM and AM species (except for specific root area that was larger in AM species), indicating that mycorrhiza type is not a key factor influencing fine root morphology in these species. The order-based root analysis detected species differences more clearly than the simple analysis of bulked fine root mass. Despite convergence in important root traits among AM and EM species, even congeneric species may differ in certain fine root morphological traits. This suggests that, in general, species identity has a larger influence on fine root morphology than mycorrhiza type.

SUBMITTER: Kubisch P

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4324066 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Do ectomycorrhizal and arbuscular mycorrhizal temperate tree species systematically differ in root order-related fine root morphology and biomass?

Kubisch Petra P Hertel Dietrich D Leuschner Christoph C

Frontiers in plant science 20150211

While most temperate broad-leaved tree species form ectomycorrhizal (EM) symbioses, a few species have arbuscular mycorrhizas (AM). It is not known whether EM and AM tree species differ systematically with respect to fine root morphology, fine root system size and root functioning. In a species-rich temperate mixed forest, we studied the fine root morphology and biomass of three EM and three AM tree species from the genera Acer, Carpinus, Fagus, Fraxinus, and Tilia searching for principal differ ...[more]

PMID: 25717334

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Project description:In comparison with ectomycorrhizal (EM) tree species, arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) trees have different litter quality and nitrogen cycle modes, which may affect mycorrhizal colonization and the community composition and diversity. However, available studies addressing the mycorrhizal fungal colonization rate, diversity and community composition in mixed forest stands composed of AM and EM trees are rare. In the present study, we assessed litter quality, soil physicochemical properties and correlated them with mycorrhizal community characteristics in rhizosphere soils of monoculture and mixture plantation stands of AM tree species (Fraxinus mandschurica Rupr.) and EM tree species (Larix gmelinii Rupr., Picea koraiensis Nakai) in Northeast China. We hypothesized that (1) the effect of mixture pattern on mycorrhizal colonization rate and diversity would change with tree species, (2) the effect of mixture pattern on mycorrhizal community composition would be less pronounced in comparison with that of tree species. We found that mixture did not change AMF colonization rate regardless of mixture identity, whereas mixture and tree species exerted significant effects on EMF colonization rate. For AMF community, both M-AS (Fraxinus mandschurica Rupr. and Picea koraiensis Nakai) and M-AL (Fraxinus mandschurica Rupr. and Larix gmelinii Rupr.) mixtures significantly increased Pielou index and Simpson index, whereas only M-AS significantly increased Sobs. For EMF community, mixture significantly affected examined diversity indices except for Chao1. Mixture significantly shifted AMF and EMF community, and the magnitude was tree species dependent. The dominant genera in AMF and EMF communities in plantation stands were Glomus and Tomentella, respectively. The EnvFit analysis showed that the determinant factors of EMF community are soil moisture, pH, nitrate nitrogen content, dissolved organic nitrogen content, soil organic matter content, soil organic carbon/total nitrogen and litter carbon/total nitrogen. In conclusion, mixed conifer-broadleaf trees significantly changed soil physicochemical properties, litter quality as well as mycorrhizal fungi community diversity and composition.

Project description:Background and aimsPlant biomass-density relationships during self-thinning are determined mainly by allometry. Both allometry and biomass-density relationship have been shown to vary with abiotic conditions, but the effects of biotic interactions have not been investigated. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can promote plant growth and affect plant form. Here experiments were carried out to test whether AMF affect plant allometry and the self-thinning trajectory.MethodsTwo experiments were conducted on Medicago sativa L., a leguminous species known to be highly dependent on mycorrhiza. Two mycorrhizal levels were obtained by applying benomyl (low AMF) or not (high AMF). Experiment 1 investigated the effects of AMF on plant growth in the absence of competition. Experiment 2 was a factorial design with two mycorrhizal levels and two plant densities (6000 and 17 500 seeds m(-2)). Shoot biomass, root biomass and canopy radius were measured 30, 60, 90 and 120 d after sowing. The allometric relationships among these aspects of size were estimated by standardized major axis regression on log-transformed data.Key resultsShoot biomass in the absence of competition was lower under low AMF treatment. In self-thinning populations, the slope of the log (mean shoot biomass) vs. log density relationship was significantly steeper for the high AMF treatment (slope = -1·480) than for the low AMF treatment (-1·133). The canopy radius-biomass allometric exponents were not significantly affected by AMF level, but the root-shoot allometric exponent was higher in the low AMF treatment. With a high level of AMF, the biomass-density exponent can be predicted from the above-ground allometric model of self-thinning, while this was not the case when AMF were reduced by fungicide.ConclusionsAMF affected the importance of below-ground relative to above-ground interactions and changed root vs. shoot allocation. This changed allometric allocation of biomass and altered the self-thinning trajectory.

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Do ectomycorrhizal and arbuscular mycorrhizal temperate tree species systematically differ in root order-related fine root morphology and biomass?

Publications

Do ectomycorrhizal and arbuscular mycorrhizal temperate tree species systematically differ in root order-related fine root morphology and biomass?

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