scholarly journals Fungal succession in decomposing woody debris across a tropical forest disturbance gradient: A field experiment

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gbadamassi G.O. Dossa ◽  
Yun-Qiang Yang ◽  
Weiming Hu ◽  
Ekananda Paudel ◽  
Douglas Schaefer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wood Species ◽  
Fungal Community ◽  
Fungal Diversity ◽  
Woody Debris ◽  
Soft Rot ◽  
White Rot ◽  
Fungal Communities ◽  
Decomposition Rates ◽  
Disturbance Gradient ◽  
Open Land

Abstract Background: Fungi are essential agents in decomposing woody debris (WD), an important carbon pool in forests. However, the ecology and dynamics of these fungal communities are poorly understood, especially in tropical forests. A better understanding of anthropogenic impacts, such as forest disturbances, on WD decomposition is also needed to appreciate their consequences on ecosystem functioning. Here, we examined the impacts of forest degradation and roles of fungal diversity and composition on WD decomposition rates across a disturbance gradient in a tropical montane rain forest in Xishuangbanna, SW China over three years. We measured wood specific gravity (WSG) loss from 280 logs from Litsea cubeba (low-WSG) and Castanopsis mekongensis (high-WSG). We concomitantly monitored fungal communities from 418 samples using next-generation sequencing after 0, 18 and 36 months field exposure. Results: Incubation time, habitat and termite presence were key drivers of fungal community composition. Fungal community succession showed a priority effect of precedent communities. C. mekongensis WD consistently harbored ~1.4 times less fungal species than L. cubeba , but had ~1.4 times more unique operational taxonomic unit (OTU) at 18 mo. Shared OTUs between wood species increased with time up to ~63 % at 36 mo. Regardless of wood species, fungal diversity and both saprotrophs and white-rot abundances peaked at 18 months. However, fungal diversity was not a significant predictor of WSG loss. WSG loss did not vary among habitats. This may result from compensatory changes in dominant functional traits, such as decay mechanisms (e.g., proportion of white rot-fungi, soft-rot fungi). For example white- rot fungal proportions were double in open land compared to mature forest. Likewise, more saprothrophs colonized high-WSG wood. Finally, ascomycetes (mainly Sordariomycetes and Dothiodeomycetes) and basidiomycetes (mostly Agaricomycetes) were dominant fungal groups. Open land was dominated by Trichoderma, regenerating forest by Herpothrichiellaceae and mature forest by Penicillium . Conclusions: White- and soft-rot fungi co-dominated decomposition, with the later increasing through time. A succession of different fungal functional groups yielded similar decomposition rates across the disturbance gradient. Incorporating dominant fungal functional trait dynamics into biogeochemical models may improve predictions of carbon dynamics.

scholarly journals Diversity and Structure of Soil Fungal Communities across Experimental Everglades Tree Islands

Diversity ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 324
Author(s):  
Brianna K. Almeida ◽  
Michael S. Ross ◽  
Susana L. Stoffella ◽  
Jay P. Sah ◽  
Eric Cline ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Level ◽  
Fungal Community ◽  
Plant Pathogen ◽  
Fungal Diversity ◽  
Fungal Communities ◽  
Tree Islands ◽  
Fungal Community Composition ◽  
Everglades Tree Islands ◽  
And Function ◽  
Early Restoration

Fungi play prominent roles in ecosystem services (e.g., nutrient cycling, decomposition) and thus have increasingly garnered attention in restoration ecology. However, it is unclear how most management decisions impact fungal communities, making it difficult to protect fungal diversity and utilize fungi to improve restoration success. To understand the effects of restoration decisions and environmental variation on fungal communities, we sequenced soil fungal microbiomes from 96 sites across eight experimental Everglades tree islands approximately 15 years after restoration occurred. We found that early restoration decisions can have enduring consequences for fungal communities. Factors experimentally manipulated in 2003–2007 (e.g., type of island core) had significant legacy effects on fungal community composition. Our results also emphasized the role of water regime in fungal diversity, composition, and function. As the relative water level decreased, so did fungal diversity, with an approximately 25% decline in the driest sites. Further, as the water level decreased, the abundance of the plant pathogen–saprotroph guild increased, suggesting that low water may increase plant-pathogen interactions. Our results indicate that early restoration decisions can have long-term consequences for fungal community composition and function and suggest that a drier future in the Everglades could reduce fungal diversity on imperiled tree islands.

scholarly journals Limited Effects of Variable-Retention Harvesting on Fungal Communities Decomposing Fine Roots in Coastal Temperate Rainforests

2017 ◽  
Vol 84 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy J. Philpott ◽  
Jason S. Barker ◽  
Cindy E. Prescott ◽  
Sue J. Grayston
Keyword(s):  
Community Composition ◽  
Fungal Community ◽  
Fine Roots ◽  
Fine Root ◽  
Plant Litter ◽  
Fungal Communities ◽  
Decomposition Rates ◽  
Fungal Community Composition ◽  
Variable Retention ◽  
Variable Retention Harvesting

ABSTRACT Fine root litter is the principal source of carbon stored in forest soils and a dominant source of carbon for fungal decomposers. Differences in decomposer capacity between fungal species may be important determinants of fine-root decomposition rates. Variable-retention harvesting (VRH) provides refuge for ectomycorrhizal fungi, but its influence on fine-root decomposers is unknown, as are the effects of functional shifts in these fungal communities on carbon cycling. We compared fungal communities decomposing fine roots (in litter bags) under VRH, clear-cut, and uncut stands at two sites (6 and 13 years postharvest) and two decay stages (43 days and 1 year after burial) in Douglas fir forests in coastal British Columbia, Canada. Fungal species and guilds were identified from decomposed fine roots using high-throughput sequencing. Variable retention had short-term effects on β-diversity; harvest treatment modified the fungal community composition at the 6-year-postharvest site, but not at the 13-year-postharvest site. Ericoid and ectomycorrhizal guilds were not more abundant under VRH, but stand age significantly structured species composition. Guild composition varied by decay stage, with ruderal species later replaced by saprotrophs and ectomycorrhizae. Ectomycorrhizal abundance on decomposing fine roots may partially explain why fine roots typically decompose more slowly than surface litter. Our results indicate that stand age structures fine-root decomposers but that decay stage is more important in structuring the fungal community than shifts caused by harvesting. The rapid postharvest recovery of fungal communities decomposing fine roots suggests resiliency within this community, at least in these young regenerating stands in coastal British Columbia. IMPORTANCE Globally, fine roots are a dominant source of carbon in forest soils, yet the fungi that decompose this material and that drive the sequestration or respiration of this carbon remain largely uncharacterized. Fungi vary in their capacity to decompose plant litter, suggesting that fungal community composition is an important determinant of decomposition rates. Variable-retention harvesting is a forestry practice that modifies fungal communities by providing refuge for ectomycorrhizal fungi. We evaluated the effects of variable retention and clear-cut harvesting on fungal communities decomposing fine roots at two sites (6 and 13 years postharvest), at two decay stages (43 days and 1 year), and in uncut stands in temperate rainforests. Harvesting impacts on fungal community composition were detected only after 6 years after harvest. We suggest that fungal community composition may be an important factor that reduces fine-root decomposition rates relative to those of above-ground plant litter, which has important consequences for forest carbon cycling.

scholarly journals Temporal and Cultivar-Specific Effects on Potato Root- and Rhizosphere Fungal Diversity

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaire Loit ◽  
Liina Soonvald ◽  
Alar Astover ◽  
Eve Runno-Paurson ◽  
Maarja Öpik ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Community Composition ◽  
Fungal Community ◽  
Fungal Diversity ◽  
High Throughput Sequencing ◽  
Solanum Tuberosum L ◽  
Potato Cultivar ◽  
Substantial Effect ◽  
Sampling Time ◽  
Fungal Communities ◽  
Fungal Community Composition

The rhizosphere fungal community can play an important role in determining plant growth and health. In this study, using high-throughput sequencing, we investigated the fungal diversity and community composition in the roots and rhizosphere soil of 21 potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivars. The samples were collected at three different sampling points. Furthermore, we assessed the differences in both diversity and composition of pathogen and saprotroph communities. In soil and roots, the fungal richness and relative abundance of pathogens and saprotrophs were mainly affected by sampling time. However, root fungal communities were also significantly affected by cultivar. The most substantial effect of cultivar was on root pathogen diversity. Moreover, the occurrence of most pathogens strongly varied among cultivars. Soil fungal community composition was primarily determined by sampling time; whereas in roots, the primary determinant was cultivar. Our results demonstrate changes in fungal communities over the potato growing season, as well as highlight the importance of potato cultivar on root fungal communities, and emphasise their importance in plant breeding.

scholarly journals Sheltering Role of Well-Decayed Conifer Logs for Forest Floor Fungi in Long-Term Polluted Boreal Forests

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vladimir S. Mikryukov ◽  
Olesya V. Dulya ◽  
Igor E. Bergman ◽  
Georgiy A. Lihodeevskiy ◽  
Anzhelika D. Loginova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Boreal Forests ◽  
Fungal Diversity ◽  
Woody Debris ◽  
Alpha Diversity ◽  
Forest Litter ◽  
Forest Degradation ◽  
Fungal Communities ◽  
Low Rank ◽  
Industrial Emissions

Coarse woody debris (CWD) provides food and shelter to a large proportion of forest biota and is considered vital for biodiversity during periods of harsh weather. However, its importance in long-term stressed ecosystems remains largely unknown. In this work, we explored the contribution of CWD to fungal diversity along the gradient of boreal forest degradation caused by 77 years of heavy industrial emissions. We analyzed the diversity and composition of fungi in 270 samples of well-decayed Picea abies and Abies sibirica logs, as well as forest litter both adjacent to and distant from the logs. Compared with forest litter, the wood had higher water content and possessed substantially lower concentrations of heavy metals, which suggests its potential favorability for biota in polluted areas. The pollution-induced loss of fungal diversity in forest litter reached 34% and was stronger in the microhabitats not influenced by CWD. Meanwhile, wood fungal communities lost less than 10% of their total richness and even increased in alpha diversity. These processes led to the diversity and compositional convergence of fungal communities from different microhabitats and substrates in polluted areas. Despite this, the importance of wood and CWD-influenced microhabitats for fungal diversity maintenance was low. Apart from wood-associated fungi, the taxa whose diversity increased in the wood of polluted areas were ectomycorrhizal fungi and eurytopic soil saprotrophs (Mucoromycota, Mortierellomycota, Eurotiomycetes, and Helotiales) that easily tolerate highly toxic litter. Within the majority of pollution-sensitive soil saprotrophic groups, only terricolous Tricholomataceae benefit from CWD as microrefugia. Upon considering the ecological variability within low-rank taxa, the importance of decayed logs as safe sites can be high for certain soil-inhabiting fungal groups in polluted areas.

scholarly journals Similarities and Differences among Soil Fungal Assemblages in Managed Forests and Formerly Managed Forest Reserves

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 353
Author(s):  
Marta Brygida Kujawska ◽  
Maria Rudawska ◽  
Robin Wilgan ◽  
Tomasz Leski
Keyword(s):  
Forest Management ◽  
Ectomycorrhizal Fungi ◽  
Fungal Diversity ◽  
Woody Debris ◽  
Fungal Communities ◽  
Trophic Groups ◽  
Managed Forests ◽  
Managed Forest ◽  
Forest Reserves ◽  
Fungal Assemblages

Unlike the numerous works concerning the effect of management on the forest mycobiome, only a few studies have addressed how fungi from different trophic groups recover from natural and anthropogenic disturbances and develop structural features typical of unmanaged old-growth forests. Our objective is to compare the soil fungal assemblages represented by different functional/trophic groups in protected and managed stands located in European mixed forests dominated by Scots pine. Fungal communities were analyzed using high-throughput Illumina MiSeq sequencing of fungal internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) amplicons. Formerly managed forest reserves (established around 50 years ago) and forests under standard forest management appeared to be similar in terms of total and mean species richness of all fungal operational taxonomic units (OTUs), as well as OTUs assigned to different functional trophic groups. Among the 599 recorded OTUs, 497 (83%) were shared between both management types, whereas 9.5% of taxa were unique to forest reserves and 7.5% were unique to managed stands. Ascomycota and Basidiomycota were the predominant phyla, comprising 88% of all identified fungi. The main functional components of soil fungal assemblages consisted of saprotrophic (42% fungal OTUs; 27% reads) and ectomycorrhizal fungi (16%; 47%). Two-way analysis of similarities (ANOSIM) revealed that both site and management strategy influenced the species composition of soil fungal communities, with site being a primary effect for saprotrophic and ectomycorrhizal fungi. Volume of coarse and very fine woody debris and soil pH significantly influenced the ectomycorrhizal fungal community, whereas saprotrophic fungi were influenced primarily by volume of coarse woody debris and soil nitrate concentration. Among the identified fungal OTUs, 18 red-listed fungal species were identified from both forest reserves and managed forests, comprising two ECM fungi and four saprotrophs from the category of endangered species. Our results suggest that the transformation of fungal diversity after cessation of forest management is rather slow, and that both forest reserves and managed forests help uphold fungal diversity.

scholarly journals Responses of Soil Fungal Communities to Lime Application in Wheat Fields in the Pacific Northwest

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chuntao Yin ◽  
Daniel C. Schlatter ◽  
Duncan R. Kroese ◽  
Timothy C. Paulitz ◽  
Christina H. Hagerty
Keyword(s):  
Pacific Northwest ◽  
Fungal Community ◽  
Fungal Diversity ◽  
Soil Depth ◽  
Fungal Communities ◽  
Agricultural Practice ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Soil Fungal Community ◽  
Lime Application ◽  
The Impact

Liming is an effective agricultural practice and is broadly used to ameliorate soil acidification in agricultural ecosystems. Our understanding of the impacts of lime application on the soil fungal community is scarce. In this study, we explored the responses of fungal communities to liming at two locations with decreasing soil pH in Oregon in the Pacific Northwest using high-throughput sequencing (Illumina MiSeq). Our results revealed that the location and liming did not significantly affect soil fungal diversity and richness, and the impact of soil depth on fungal diversity varied among locations. In contrast, location and soil depth had a strong effect on the structure and composition of soil fungal communities, whereas the impact of liming was much smaller, and location- and depth-dependent. Interestingly, families Lasiosphaeriaceae, Piskurozymaceae, and Sordariaceae predominated in the surface soil (0–7.5 cm) and were positively correlated with soil OM and aluminum, and negatively correlated with pH. The family Kickxellaceae which predominated in deeper soil (15–22.5 cm), had an opposite response to soil OM. Furthermore, some taxa in Ascomycota, such as Hypocreales, Peziza and Penicillium, were increased by liming at one of the locations (Moro). In conclusion, these findings suggest that fungal community structure and composition rather than fungal diversity responded to location, soil depth and liming. Compared to liming, location and depth had a stronger effect on the soil fungal community, but some specific fungal taxa shifted with lime application.

Contrasting responses of soil fungal communities and soil respiration to the above‐ and below‐ground plant C inputs in a subtropical forest

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lingling Shi ◽  
Wenting Feng ◽  
Xin Jing ◽  
Huadong Zang ◽  
Peter Edward Mortimer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Respiration ◽  
Fungal Community ◽  
Fungal Diversity ◽  
Fungal Growth ◽  
Subtropical Forest ◽  
Fungal Communities ◽  
Soil C ◽  
Litter Removal ◽  
Soil Fungal Community ◽  
Soil Fungal Diversity

<p>The roles of soil fungal diversity and community composition in regulating soil respiration when above‐ and below‐ground plant carbon (C) inputs are excluded remain unclear. In the present study, we aimed to examine: (i) how does the exclusion of above‐ and below‐ground plant C inputs affect soil respiration and soil fungi singly and in combination? and (ii) are changes in soil fungal diversity aligned with changes in soil respiration? A field experiment with manipulation of plant C inputs was established in a subtropical forest in southwest China in 2004 with litter removal and tree stem‐girdling to exclude inputs of the above‐ and below‐ground plant C, respectively. In 2009, we measured the rates of soil respiration with an infrared gas analyser and soil fungal community structure using Illumina sequencing. We found that the rates of soil respiration were reduced significantly by litter removal and girdling, by similar magnitudes. However, they were not decreased further by the combination of these two treatments compared to either treatment alone. In contrast, litter removal increased the diversity of soil fungal communities, whereas girdling decreased the abundance of symbiotrophic fungi but increased the abundance of saptrotrophic and pathotrophic fungi. These changes in soil fungal community might initiate CO2 emission from soil C decomposition, offsetting further decline in soil respiration when plant C inputs are excluded. These results revealed that the exclusion of the above‐ and below‐ground plant C inputs led to contrasting soil fungal communities but similar soil function. Our findings suggest that both above‐ and below‐ground plant C are important in regulating soil respiration in subtropical forests, by limiting substrates for soil fungal growth and altering the diversity and composition of soil fungal community.</p>

scholarly journals Site-Dependent Relationships Between Fungal Community Composition, Plant Genotypic Diversity and Environmental Drivers in a Salix Biomass System

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefanie Hoeber ◽  
Christel Baum ◽  
Martin Weih ◽  
Stefano Manzoni ◽  
Petra Fransson
Keyword(s):  
Community Composition ◽  
Fungal Community ◽  
Fungal Diversity ◽  
Genotypic Diversity ◽  
Fungal Communities ◽  
Environmental Drivers ◽  
Plant Genotype ◽  
Fungal Community Composition ◽  
Genotype Diversity ◽  
Ecm Fungi

Soil fungi are strongly affected by plant species or genotypes since plants modify their surrounding environment, but the effects of plant genotype diversity on fungal diversity and function have not been extensively studied. The interactive responses of fungal community composition to plant genotypic diversity and environmental drivers were investigated in Salix biomass systems, posing questions about: (1) How fungal diversity varies as a function of plant genotype diversity; (2) If plant genotype identity is a strong driver of fungal community composition also in plant mixtures; (3) How the fungal communities change through time (seasonally and interannually)?; and (4) Will the proportion of ECM fungi increase over the rotation? Soil samples were collected over 4 years, starting preplanting from two Salix field trials, including four genotypes with contrasting phenology and functional traits, and genotypes were grown in all possible combinations (four genotypes in Uppsala, Sweden, two in Rostock, Germany). Fungal communities were identified, using Pacific Biosciences sequencing of fungal ITS2 amplicons. We found some site-dependent relationships between fungal community composition and genotype or diversity level, and site accounted for the largest part of the variation in fungal community composition. Rostock had a more homogenous community structure, with significant effects of genotype, diversity level, and the presence of one genotype (“Loden”) on fungal community composition. Soil properties and plant and litter traits contributed to explaining the variation in fungal species composition. The within-season variation in composition was of a similar magnitude to the year-to-year variation. The proportion of ECM fungi increased over time irrespective of plant genotype diversity, and, in Uppsala, the 4-mixture showed a weaker response than other combinations. Species richness was generally higher in Uppsala compared with that in Rostock and increased over time, but did not increase with plant genotype diversity. This significant site-specificity underlines the need for consideration of diverse sites to draw general conclusions of temporal variations and functioning of fungal communities. A significant increase in ECM colonization of soil under the pioneer tree Salix on agricultural soils was evident and points to changed litter decomposition and soil carbon dynamics during Salix growth.

scholarly journals Vegetation Restoration Alters Fungal Community Composition and Functional Groups in a Desert Ecosystem

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Zhang ◽  
Hongyu Cao ◽  
Peishan Zhao ◽  
Xiaoshuai Wei ◽  
Guodong Ding ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Community Composition ◽  
Fungal Community ◽  
Fungal Diversity ◽  
High Throughput Sequencing ◽  
Soil Depth ◽  
Mycorrhizal Fungus ◽  
Fungal Communities ◽  
Desert Ecosystem ◽  
Fungal Community Composition ◽  
Soil Fungal Diversity

Revegetation is regarded as an effective means to improve the ecological environment in deserts and profoundly influences the potential ecological functions of the soil fungal community. Therefore, Illumina high-throughput sequencing was performed to characterize the soil fungal diversity and community composition at two soil depths (0–10 cm and 10–20 cm) with four revegetation durations (natural grassland, half-mature, nearly mature, and mature Pinus. sylvestris var. mongolica plantations) in the Mu Us Sandy Land, China. The effects of soil properties on soil fungal communities were also examined to reveal the connection between fungal function and soil environment. The results indicated that 1) soil nutrient content and enzyme activity showed significant differences through the restoration durations, 2) there was no significant effect of soil depth on soil fungal diversity, while the Shannon diversity index of all fungal communities was significantly different among different revegetation durations, 3) compared with grassland, ectomycorrhizal fungi (notably, Inocybe, Tuber, and Calostoma) were abundant in plantations. The endophyte fungus Mortierella was among the top 10 genera in all soil samples and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Diversispora was the indicator genus of the grassland, and 4) catalase and total nitrogen were the main factors affecting fungal community composition and were closely related to saprotrophs and pathotrophs, respectively. This new information indicates the variation of soil fungal communities along revegetation durations and highlights the interaction between fungal functions and desert ecosystems.

Experimentally altered rainfall regimes and host root traits affect grassland arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Coline Deveautour ◽  
Suzanne Donn ◽  
Sally Power ◽  
Kirk Barnett ◽  
Jeff Powell
Keyword(s):  
Fungal Community ◽  
Community Assembly ◽  
Root Length ◽  
Specific Root Length ◽  
Root Traits ◽  
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal ◽  
Fungal Communities ◽  
Rainfall Regime ◽  
Precipitation Regimes ◽  
Rainfall Regimes

Future climate scenarios predict changes in rainfall regimes. These changes are expected to affect plants via effects on the expression of root traits associated with water and nutrient uptake. Associated microorganisms may also respond to these new precipitation regimes, either directly in response to changes in the soil environment or indirectly in response to altered root trait expression. We characterised arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal communities in an Australian grassland exposed to experimentally altered rainfall regimes. We used Illumina sequencing to assess the responses of AM fungal communities associated with four plant species sampled in different watering treatments and evaluated the extent to which shifts were associated with changes in root traits. We observed that altered rainfall regimes affected the composition but not the richness of the AM fungal communities, and we found distinctive communities in the increased rainfall treatment. We found no evidence of altered rainfall regime effects via changes in host physiology because none of the studied traits were affected by changes in rainfall. However, specific root length was observed to correlate with AM fungal richness, while concentrations of phosphorus and calcium in root tissue and the proportion of root length allocated to fine roots were correlated to community composition. Our study provides evidence that climate change and its effects on rainfall may influence AM fungal community assembly, as do plant traits related to plant nutrition and water uptake. We did not find evidence that host responses to altered rainfall drive AM fungal community assembly in this grassland ecosystem.

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