Shifts in taxonomical and functional structure of ectomycorrhizal fungal community of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) underpinned by partner tree ageing

The aim of the study was an integrated monitoring of Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.) bait seedling performance and ectomycorrhizal fungal community dynamics in a Scots pine dominated stand one growing season before and over four seasons after forest clear-cut logging. The effects of planting location and time were assessed in relation to subsequent seedling performance and ectomycorrhizal diversity. Application of advanced regeneration, where seedlings were planted one growing season before the clear-cut event, resulted in increased seedling growth in the clear-cut area over the subsequent 4 years. However, counterparts planted in the interface zone in 1997, between the future uncut stand and the clear-cut area, exhibited poorer growth compared with those planted after clear-cut harvesting. The interface zone was generally richest in ectomycorrhizal diversity, and this was confirmed using complementary morphotyping and rDNA-based identification methods. Large numbers of ectomycorrhizal types were present on Scots pine seedling roots and instead of detecting dramatic changes in total number of types, species composition changes could be better related to changes in exploratory types of ectomycorrhizas with a trend towards less rhizomorphic types in the clear-cut treatment compared with the control forest. Changes in the community structure are presumably influenced by changing environmental conditions in the site.

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Effects of Early, Small-Scale Nitrogen Addition on Germination and Early Growth of Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) Seedlings and on the Recruitment of the Root-Associated Fungal Community

Forests ◽

10.3390/f12111589 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (11) ◽

pp. 1589

Author(s):

David Castro ◽

Andreas N. Schneider ◽

Mattias Holmlund ◽

Torgny Näsholm ◽

Nathaniel R. Street ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pinus Sylvestris ◽

Scots Pine ◽

Fungal Community ◽

Seedling Survival ◽

Organic Fertilizer ◽

Nitrogen Addition ◽

Direct Seeding ◽

Small Scale ◽

N Addition ◽

Important Species

Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) is one of the most economically important species to the Swedish forest industry, and cost-efficient planting methods are needed to ensure successful reestablishment after harvesting forest stands. While the majority of clear-cuts are replanted with pre-grown seedlings, direct seeding can be a viable option on poorer sites. Organic fertilizer has been shown to improve planted seedling establishment, but the effect on direct seeding is less well known. Therefore, at a scarified (disc trencher harrowed) clear-cut site in northern Sweden, we evaluated the effect of early, small-scale nitrogen addition on establishment and early recruitment of fungi from the disturbed soil community by site-planted Scots pine seeds. Individual seeds were planted using a moisture retaining germination matrix containing 10 mg nitrogen in the form of either arginine phosphate or ammonium nitrate. After one growing season, we collected seedlings and assessed the fungal community of seedling roots and the surrounding soil. Our results demonstrate that early, small-scale N addition increases seedling survival and needle carbon content, that there is rapid recruitment of ectomycorrhizal fungi to the roots and rhizosphere of the young seedlings and that this rapid recruitment was modified but not prevented by N addition.

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