Patterns in Ectomycorrhizal Diversity, Community Composition, and Exploration Types in European Beech, Pine, and Spruce Forests

Ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungi are pivotal drivers of ecosystem functioning in temperate and boreal forests. They constitute an important pathway for plant-derived carbon into the soil and facilitate nitrogen and phosphorus acquisition. However, the mechanisms that drive ectomycorrhizal diversity and community composition are still subject to discussion. We investigated patterns in ectomycorrhizal diversity, community composition, and exploration types on root tips in Fagus sylvatica,Picea abies, and Pinus sylvestris stands across Europe. Host tree species is the most important factor shaping the ectomycorrhizal community as well as the distribution of exploration types. Moreover, abiotic factors such as soil properties, N deposition, temperature, and precipitation, were found to significantly influence EM diversity and community composition. A clear differentiation into functional traits by means of exploration types was shown for all ectomycorrhizal communities across the three analyzed tree species. Contact and short-distance exploration types were clearly significantly more abundant than cord- or rhizomorph-forming long-distance exploration types of EM fungi. Medium-distance exploration types were significantly lower in abundance than contact and short-distance types, however they were the most frequent EM taxa and constituted nearly half of the EM community. Furthermore, EM taxa exhibit distinct ecological ranges, and the type of soil exploration seemed to determine whether EM taxa have small or rather big environmental ranges.

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Impacts of landscape-scale windthrow and subsequent, variable reforestation on bird communities in Central Europe

10.1101/2020.06.18.159400 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Johannes Kamp ◽

Johanna Trappe ◽

Luca Dübbers ◽

Stephanie Funke

Keyword(s):

Norway Spruce ◽

Community Composition ◽

Central Europe ◽

Tree Species ◽

Secondary Succession ◽

Forest Disturbance ◽

Bird Species ◽

European Beech ◽

Bird Communities ◽

Long Distance

AbstractWith climate change, the area affected by and the intensity of forest disturbances such as windthrow, insect outbreaks and fire will be increasing. Post-disturbance forest management will be varied, and it is difficult to predict how much natural succession will be allowed in comparison to reforestation. Both, disturbance and reforestation will affect forest biodiversity globally, but potential shifts in species distribution, abundance and community composition are poorly understood.We studied the response of breeding bird communities to windthrow and different reforestation strategies in one of Central Europe’s largest contiguous windthrow areas created by storm Kyrill in 2007. A decade after the disturbance, we compared bird species diversity, population densities and community composition on plots in replanted beech, replanted conifers and secondary succession (all salvage-logged after the storm), with undisturbed old Norway spruce Picea abies as a control, in the setting of a natural experiment.Of the stands blown down, 95% were Norway Spruce. Reforestation strategies varied, with Spruce and non-native conifers planted on twice the area that was replanted with European Beech Fagus sylvestris. Large areas were still dominated by successional tree species a decade after the storm, especially birch, mirroring recommendations of sub-national forestry agencies to include secondary succession in future forest development. Birds responded strongly to windthrow, with a pronounced community turnover. Species associated with high conifer stands reached significantly lower densities on sample plots in disturbed areas. Replanted areas were characterized by mostly ubiquitous bird species. Areas dominated by secondary succession, especially birch Betula spp., were characterized by high densities of long-distance migrants (often species of conservation concern) and shrubland species, among them several indicator species.Our results suggest that an increase of forest disturbance across Central Europe will lead to a pronounced reorganisation of biodiversity. Strategies that allow more secondary succession, and avoid replanting allochthonous tree species are likely to benefit populations of depleted bird species, even at salvage-logged and cleared disturbance sites.

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Effect of Deadwood on Ectomycorrhizal Colonisation of Old-Growth Oak Forests

Forests ◽

10.3390/f10060480 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (6) ◽

pp. 480 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Jacek Olchowik ◽

Dorota Hilszczańska ◽

Roman Mariusz Bzdyk ◽

Marcin Studnicki ◽

Tadeusz Malewski ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Species Composition ◽

Ectomycorrhizal Fungi ◽

Coarse Woody Debris ◽

Short Distance ◽

Woody Debris ◽

Fungal Species ◽

Root Tips ◽

Soil C ◽

Soil Features ◽

Exploration Types

Although the importance of coarse woody debris (CWD) for species diversity is recognized, the effects of coarse woody debris decay class on species composition have received little attention. We examined how the species composition of ectomycorrhizal fungi (ECM) changes with CWD decay. We describe ectomycorrhizal root tips and the diversity of mycorrhizal fungal species at three English oak (Quercus robur L.) sites. DNA barcoding revealed a total of 17 ECM fungal species. The highest degree of mycorrhizal colonization was found in CWDadvanced (27.2%) and CWDearly (27.1%). Based on exploration types, ectomycorrhizae were classified with respect to ecologically relevant soil features. The short distance type was significantly correlated with soil P2O5, while the contact type was correlated with soil C/N. The lowest mean content of soil Corg was found in the CWDabsent site. The difference in total soil N between sites decreased with increasing CWD decomposition, whereas total C/N increased correspondingly. In this study we confirmed that soil CWD stimulates ectomycorrhizal fungi, representing contact or short-distance exploration types of mycelium.

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Petunia PLEIOTROPIC DRUG RESISTANCE 1 Is a Strigolactone Short-Distance Transporter with Long-Distance Outcomes

Plant and Cell Physiology ◽

10.1093/pcp/pcz081 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 60 (8) ◽

pp. 1722-1733

Author(s):

Katsuhiro Shiratake ◽

Michitaka Notaguchi ◽

Haruko Makino ◽

Yu Sawai ◽

Lorenzo Borghi

Keyword(s):

Drug Resistance ◽

Mycorrhizal Fungi ◽

Short Distance ◽

Mycorrhizal Symbiosis ◽

Pleiotropic Drug Resistance ◽

Root Tips ◽

Long Distance ◽

Long Distance Transport ◽

Lateral Bud ◽

Distance Transport

Abstract Phytohormones of the strigolactone (SL) family have been characterized as negative regulators of lateral bud outgrowth and triggers of symbioses between plants and mycorrhizal fungi. SLs and their precursors are synthesized in root tips as well as along shoot and root vasculature; they either move shoot-wards and regulate plant architecture or are exuded from roots into the soil to establish mycorrhizal symbiosis. Owing to the difficulty in quantification of SL in shoot tissues because of low abundance, it is not yet clear how SL distribution in plants is regulated at short- and long-distances from SL biosynthetic and target tissues. To address this question, we grafted wild-type scions and rootstocks from different petunia mutants for SL biosynthesis/transport and investigated SL activity by quantifying lateral bud outgrowth in the main shoot. Based on these results, we show that (i) the previously reported petunia SL transporter PLEIOTROPIC DRUG RESISTANCE 1 (PDR1) directly accounts for short-distance SL transport and (ii) long-distance transport of SLs seems to be partially and not directly dependent on PDR1. These data suggest that the root-to-shoot transport of SLs occurs either via the vasculature bundle through transporters other than PDR1 or involves SL precursors that are not substrates of PDR1.

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Ectomycorrhizal Colonisation in Declining Oak Stands on the Krotoszyn Plateau, Poland

Forests ◽

10.3390/f10010030 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 30 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Roman Mariusz Bzdyk ◽

Jacek Olchowik ◽

Marcin Studnicki ◽

Justyna Anna Nowakowska ◽

Tomasz Oszako ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fungal Species ◽

Root Tip ◽

Root Tips ◽

Long Distance ◽

Particle Size Fractions ◽

Root Parameters ◽

Exploration Types ◽

Forest Sites ◽

Fine Grained Soil ◽

Crown Health

We describe the ectomycorrhizal (ECM) root tips and the diversity of mycorrhizal fungal species at three English oak (Quercus robur) sites (two 120 year old sites and one 60 year old site). The three oak stands in decline, located in western Poland, were characterized by a low degree of vital ECM colonization: 30.2%, 29.1% and 25.6% at Krotoszyn (K), Piaski (P) and Karczma Borowa (KB), respectively. DNA (ITS) barcoding revealed a total of 18 ECM fungal species. Based on exploration types, ectomycorrhizae were classified with respect to ecologically relevant features. The contact type was significantly correlated with C:N and Corg, while the short distance type was correlated with Ca, phosphorus (P2O5) and pH. The medium distance exploration type was significantly correlated with fine-grained soil particle size fractions: coarse silt (0.05–0.02 mm) and fine silt (0.02–0.002 mm), and clay (<0.002 mm). The long distance type showed a similar pattern to the medium distance smooth type, but was also correlated with nitrate (N). The values of biometric root parameters of oak trees at the analysed forest sites were arranged as follows: K > P > KB, and were opposite to the condition of the tree crowns. A negative correlation of vital ECM root tip abundance with the crown health status of oaks was observed, whereas higher ECM diversity reflected better crown health in the oak stands studied.

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Decline of European Beech in Austria: Involvement of Phytophthora spp. and Contributing Biotic and Abiotic Factors

Forests ◽

10.3390/f11080895 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (8) ◽

pp. 895 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Tamara Corcobado ◽

Thomas L. Cech ◽

Martin Brandstetter ◽

Andreas Daxer ◽

Christine Hüttler ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fine Root ◽

Abiotic Factors ◽

European Beech ◽

Pathogenic Fungi ◽

Common Species ◽

Beech Forest ◽

Phytophthora Species ◽

Root Tips ◽

Collar Rot ◽

Biotic And Abiotic Factors

A severe decline and dieback of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) stands have been observed in Austria in recent decades. From 2008 to 2010, the distribution and diversity of Phytophthora species and pathogenic fungi and pests were surveyed in 34 beech forest stands in Lower Austria, and analyses performed to assess the relationships between Phytophthora presence and various parameters, i.e. root condition, crown damage, ectomycorrhizal abundance and site conditions. In total, 6464 trees were surveyed, and Phytophthora-associated collar rot and aerial bark cankers were detected on 133 trees (2.1%) in 25 stands (73.5%). Isolations tests were performed from 103 trees in 27 stands and seven Phytophthora species were isolated from bleeding bark cankers and/or from the rhizosphere soil of 49 trees (47.6%) in 25 stands (92.6%). The most common species were P. ×cambivora (16 stands) followed by P. plurivora (eight stands) and P. cactorum (four stands), while P. gonapodyides, P. syringae, P. psychrophila and P. tubulina were each found in only one stand. Geological substrate had a significant effect on the distribution of P. ×cambivora and P. plurivora while P. cactorum showed no site preferences. In addition, 21 fungal species were identified on beech bark, of which 19 and five species were associated with collar rot and aerial bark cankers, respectively. Four tested fine root parameters showed differences between declining and non-declining beech trees in both Phytophthora-infested and Phytophthora-free stands. In both stand categories, ectomycorrhizal frequency of fine root tips was significantly higher in non-declining than in declining trees. This study confirmed the involvement of Phytophthora species in European beech decline and underlines the need of more research on the root condition of beech stands and other biotic and abiotic factors interacting with Phytophthora infections or causing beech decline in absence of Phytophthora.

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Tree Species Diversity, Composition and Aboveground Biomass Across Dry Forest Land-Cover Types in Coastal Ecuador

Tropical Conservation Science ◽

10.1177/1940082921995415 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 ◽

pp. 194008292199541

Author(s):

Xavier Haro-Carrión ◽

Bette Loiselle ◽

Francis E. Putz

Keyword(s):

Species Diversity ◽

Land Cover ◽

Community Composition ◽

Aboveground Biomass ◽

Tree Species ◽

Dry Forest ◽

Stem Density ◽

Tree Species Diversity ◽

Land Cover Types ◽

Schizolobium Parahyba

Tropical dry forests (TDF) are highly threatened ecosystems that are often fragmented due to land-cover change. Using plot inventories, we analyzed tree species diversity, community composition and aboveground biomass patterns across mature (MF) and secondary forests of about 25 years since cattle ranching ceased (SF), 10–20-year-old plantations (PL), and pastures in a TDF landscape in Ecuador. Tree diversity was highest in MF followed by SF, pastures and PL, but many endemic and endangered species occurred in both MF and SF, which demonstrates the importance of SF for species conservation. Stem density was higher in PL, followed by SF, MF and pastures. Community composition differed between MF and SF due to the presence of different specialist species. Some SF specialists also occurred in pastures, and all species found in pastures were also recorded in SF indicating a resemblance between these two land-cover types even after 25 years of succession. Aboveground biomass was highest in MF, but SF and Tectona grandis PL exhibited similar numbers followed by Schizolobium parahyba PL, Ochroma pyramidale PL and pastures. These findings indicate that although species-poor, some PL equal or surpass SF in aboveground biomass, which highlights the critical importance of incorporating biodiversity, among other ecosystem services, to carbon sequestration initiatives. This research contributes to understanding biodiversity conservation across a mosaic of land-cover types in a TDF landscape.

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Stand structure, community composition and tree species diversity of sub-tropical forest of Nagaland, Northeast India

Tropical Ecology ◽

10.1007/s42965-021-00170-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Aosanen Ao ◽

Sapu Changkija ◽

S. K. Tripathi

Keyword(s):

Species Diversity ◽

Tropical Forest ◽

Community Composition ◽

Tree Species ◽

Stand Structure ◽

Northeast India ◽

Tree Species Diversity ◽

Structure Community

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K → μ+μ− as a clean probe of short-distance physics

Journal of High Energy Physics ◽

10.1007/jhep07(2021)103 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 (7) ◽

Author(s):

Avital Dery ◽

Mitrajyoti Ghosh ◽

Yuval Grossman ◽

Stefan Schacht

Keyword(s):

Matrix Element ◽

Standard Model ◽

Short Distance ◽

Time Dependent ◽

Final States ◽

Interference Effects ◽

Fundamental Theory ◽

Long Distance ◽

Ckm Matrix ◽

The Standard Model

Abstract The K → μ+μ− decay is often considered to be uninformative of fundamental theory parameters since the decay is polluted by long-distance hadronic effects. We demonstrate that, using very mild assumptions and utilizing time-dependent interference effects, ℬ(KS → μ+μ−)ℓ=0 can be experimentally determined without the need to separate the ℓ = 0 and ℓ = 1 final states. This quantity is very clean theoretically and can be used to test the Standard Model. In particular, it can be used to extract the CKM matrix element combination $$ \mid {V}_{ts}{V}_{td}\sin \left(\beta +{\beta}_s\right)\mid \approx \mid {A}^2{\lambda}^5\overline{\eta}\mid $$ ∣ V ts V td sin β + β s ∣ ≈ ∣ A 2 λ 5 η ¯ ∣ with hadronic uncertainties below 1%.

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Soil carbon and nutrient stocks under Scots pine plantations in comparison to European beech forests: a paired-plot study across forests with different management history and precipitation regimes

Forest Ecosystems ◽

10.1186/s40663-021-00330-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Marco Diers ◽

Robert Weigel ◽

Heike Culmsee ◽

Christoph Leuschner

Keyword(s):

Scots Pine ◽

Tree Species ◽

European Beech ◽

Organic Layer ◽

Species Identity ◽

Data Set ◽

Nutrient Pools ◽

Total N ◽

Precipitation Regimes ◽

Pine Stands

Abstract Background Organic carbon stored in forest soils (SOC) represents an important element of the global C cycle. It is thought that the C storage capacity of the stable pool can be enhanced by increasing forest productivity, but empirical evidence in support of this assumption from forests differing in tree species and productivity, while stocking on similar substrate, is scarce. Methods We determined the stocks of SOC and macro-nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, potassium and magnesium) in nine paired European beech/Scots pine stands on similar Pleistocene sandy substrates across a precipitation gradient (560–820 mm∙yr− 1) in northern Germany and explored the influence of tree species, forest history, climate, and soil pH on SOC and nutrient pools. Results While the organic layer stored on average about 80% more C under pine than beech, the pools of SOC and total N in the total profile (organic layer plus mineral soil measured to 60 cm and extrapolated to 100 cm) were greater under pine by about 40% and 20%, respectively. This contrasts with a higher annual production of foliar litter and a much higher fine root biomass in beech stands, indicating that soil C sequestration is unrelated to the production of leaf litter and fine roots in these stands on Pleistocene sandy soils. The pools of available P and basic cations tended to be higher under beech. Neither precipitation nor temperature influenced the SOC pool, whereas tree species was a key driver. An extended data set (which included additional pine stands established more recently on former agricultural soil) revealed that, besides tree species identity, forest continuity is an important factor determining the SOC and nutrient pools of these stands. Conclusion We conclude that tree species identity can exert a considerable influence on the stocks of SOC and macronutrients, which may be unrelated to productivity but closely linked to species-specific forest management histories, thus masking weaker climate and soil chemistry effects on pool sizes.

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