The mycorrhizal community in a forest chronosequence of Sitka spruce [Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr.] in Northern England

Abstract

Demography and fungal diversity of the belowground ectomycorrhizal community in a chronosequence of Sitka spruce [Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr.] in Northumberland, Northern England, were analysed; mycorrhizal root samples were taken from 6-, 12-, 30- and 40-year-old stands, and fungal fruiting bodies were collected in autumn to complement the survey. Naturally germinated seedlings less than 1 year of age (taken from the 30-year-old stand) were also examined. A total of 118,000 mycorrhizal root tips were extracted from 40 soil cores (ten per age class) and from the complete root systems of 25 seedlings and separated into active and senescent root tips according to their morphology and anatomy. Active tips were distinguished according to their mycobionts which were characterised and identified microscopically. Although almost 100% of all fine roots were mycorrhizal, EM fungal diversity throughout the chronosequence was low, consisting of a total of 16 species of which three were only found as fruiting bodies. Of the six mycobionts found most regularly below ground, Tylospora fibrillosa was the most common, colonising about 70% of all root tips and more than 90% of those of seedlings and young trees. Root density and mycorrhizal diversity increased, but percentage of vital root tips decreased with increasing tree age, levelling off in the 30- and 40-year-old stand. Among the five subdominant fungal species, Dermocybe crocea was found to have its peak of distribution in the 12-year-old stand and Russula emetica, Lactarius rufus, Hymenoscyphus ericae agg. and the unidentified Piceirhiza sulfo-incrustata in the 30- and 40-year-old stands. The possible correlations between the mycorrhizal community structure and biotic and abiotic factors are discussed.

Belowground ectomycorrhizal communities in three Norway spruce stands with different degrees of decline in the Czech Republic

“…T. terrestris, for example, was found abundantly on the roots of seedlings in the most damaged site and seems to tolerate flooding, whereas Suillus species failed to colonize the roots when flooded even for only short periods of time (Stenstrom 1991). High abundances of up to 70% on the root system of adult trees were also reported for T. fibrillosa from monocultures of Sitka spruce growing in frequently water-logged, anoxic soils in Northern England (Palfner et al 2005). Beside the dominant T. fibrillosa, three of the five species that fruited in the Mumlavska hora forest (C. croceus, H. olivaceoalbus, R. emetica) were also present in this plantation.…”

Monitoring ectomycorrhizal fungi at large scales for science, forest management, fungal conservation and environmental policy

“…Anderson et al 2014;Talbot et al 2014); and (e) dominant but taxonomically unknown ECM fungi can be linked to previously informally described mycorrhizas (e.g. a Leotiomycete to 'Piceirhiza sulfo-incrustata' sensu Palfner et al 2005). …”

Comunidad ectomicorrícica en una cronosecuencia de Pinus radiata (Pinophyta: Pinaceae) de la zona de transición climática mediterráneo-templada de Chile central

“…El censo taxonómico en las distintas clases de edad tiene apoyo en estudios previos: especies de Hebeloma e Inocybe son conocidas como colonizadores pioneros y suelen abundar en viveros y plantaciones nuevas (Ingleby et al 1990, Giachini & Oliveira 2000, Kazuhide 2006b), mientras especies de Russula han sido repor tadas con más frecuencia en bosques maduros (Termorshuizen 1991, Palfner et al 2005. La detección del morfotipo Pinirhiza spinulosa es notable, tratándose del primer hallazgo de este mor fotipo asociado con P. radiata en Chile, habiendo sido descrito originalmente en Europa asociado a la especie frondosa Fagus sylvatica L. bajo el nombre de Fagirhiza spinulosa (Brand 1991).…”

“…En cuanto a la dinámica ecológica de estos hongos, varios estudios han revelado cambios en la comunidad ectomicorrícica con el aumento de la edad de los árboles (Smith & Read 1997, Jumpponen et al 2002, Palfner et al 2005, los que consisten principalmente en un incremento de diversidad y un cambio de dominancia de algunas especies fúngicas (Visser et al 1995, Hor ton & Bruns 2001, Dahlberg 2001, Gebhard et al 2007). Aunque este patrón se repite en la mayoría de las cronosecuencias analizadas hasta la fecha, ha resultado difícil asignar estos cambios a factores bióticos o abióticos defi nidos (Twieg et al 2009).…”

“…Estudios realizados en distintas edades de árboles nativos del hemisferio norte han revelado que las diferencias en la comunidad fúngica se basan en un cambio marcado de abundancia de algunas especies, y en la aparición y desaparición de otras (Jumpponen et al 2002, Cázares et al 2005, Palfner at al. 2005.…”