Aim: Mycorrhiza play key roles for ecosystem structure and functioning in forests.However, how different mycorrhizal types influence mountain forest biodiversityecosystem functioning (BEF) relationships are largely unknown. We evaluate how the diversity of distinct mycorrhiza-associated fungi and trees shapes forest carbon storage along elevational gradients.Location: Gaoligong Mountains within Hengduan Mountains, Southwest China.
Taxon: Seed plants and mycorrhizal fungi.Methods: We used the data from 31 subtropical forest plots along elevational gradients on two aspects (east and west) of the mountain. We quantified species richness of trees and symbiotic fungi and assigned both to their mycorrhizal type (arbuscular mycorrhiza [AM], ectomycorrhiza [EcM] and ericoid mycorrhiza [ErM]). We then examined the diversity effects of mycorrhiza-associated fungi and trees on aboveground carbon stored in trees and organic carbon stored in soils.Results: Species richness was highest for AM trees (79.5%), followed by ErM trees (13.4%) and then EcM trees (7.1%). Species richness of AM-associated trees and fungi decreased with increasing elevation, while ErM-associated trees and fungi showed an
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