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Share the wealth : Trees with greater ectomycorrhizal species overlap share more carbon

Rog, Ido ; Rosenstock, Nicholas P. LU ; Körner, Christian and Klein, Tamir (2020) In Molecular Ecology 29(13). p.2321-2333
Abstract

The mutualistic symbiosis between forest trees and ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) is among the most ubiquitous and successful interactions in terrestrial ecosystems. Specific species of EMF are known to colonize specific tree species, benefitting from their carbon source, and in turn, improving their access to soil water and nutrients. EMF also form extensive mycelial networks that can link multiple root-tips of different trees. Yet the number of tree species connected by such mycelial networks, and the traffic of material across them, are just now under study. Recently we reported substantial belowground carbon transfer between Picea, Pinus, Larix and Fagus trees in a mature forest. Here, we analyze the EMF community of these same... (More)

The mutualistic symbiosis between forest trees and ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) is among the most ubiquitous and successful interactions in terrestrial ecosystems. Specific species of EMF are known to colonize specific tree species, benefitting from their carbon source, and in turn, improving their access to soil water and nutrients. EMF also form extensive mycelial networks that can link multiple root-tips of different trees. Yet the number of tree species connected by such mycelial networks, and the traffic of material across them, are just now under study. Recently we reported substantial belowground carbon transfer between Picea, Pinus, Larix and Fagus trees in a mature forest. Here, we analyze the EMF community of these same individual trees and identify the most likely taxa responsible for the observed carbon transfer. Among the nearly 1,200 EMF root-tips examined, 50%–70% belong to operational taxonomic units (OTUs) that were associated with three or four tree host species, and 90% of all OTUs were associated with at least two tree species. Sporocarp 13C signals indicated that carbon originating from labelled Picea trees was transferred among trees through EMF networks. Interestingly, phylogenetically more closely related tree species exhibited more similar EMF communities and exchanged more carbon. Our results show that belowground carbon transfer is well orchestrated by the evolution of EMFs and tree symbiosis.

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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
host genetics, mycorrhiza, Sebacina, stable isotopes, temperate forest
in
Molecular Ecology
volume
29
issue
13
pages
13 pages
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • scopus:85078717734
  • pmid:31923325
ISSN
0962-1083
DOI
10.1111/mec.15351
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
60a9da53-5391-43ce-8fd0-aaa3fc3f3dde
date added to LUP
2020-02-14 15:46:39
date last changed
2024-04-03 01:51:49
@article{60a9da53-5391-43ce-8fd0-aaa3fc3f3dde,
  abstract     = {{<p>The mutualistic symbiosis between forest trees and ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) is among the most ubiquitous and successful interactions in terrestrial ecosystems. Specific species of EMF are known to colonize specific tree species, benefitting from their carbon source, and in turn, improving their access to soil water and nutrients. EMF also form extensive mycelial networks that can link multiple root-tips of different trees. Yet the number of tree species connected by such mycelial networks, and the traffic of material across them, are just now under study. Recently we reported substantial belowground carbon transfer between Picea, Pinus, Larix and Fagus trees in a mature forest. Here, we analyze the EMF community of these same individual trees and identify the most likely taxa responsible for the observed carbon transfer. Among the nearly 1,200 EMF root-tips examined, 50%–70% belong to operational taxonomic units (OTUs) that were associated with three or four tree host species, and 90% of all OTUs were associated with at least two tree species. Sporocarp <sup>13</sup>C signals indicated that carbon originating from labelled Picea trees was transferred among trees through EMF networks. Interestingly, phylogenetically more closely related tree species exhibited more similar EMF communities and exchanged more carbon. Our results show that belowground carbon transfer is well orchestrated by the evolution of EMFs and tree symbiosis.</p>}},
  author       = {{Rog, Ido and Rosenstock, Nicholas P. and Körner, Christian and Klein, Tamir}},
  issn         = {{0962-1083}},
  keywords     = {{host genetics; mycorrhiza; Sebacina; stable isotopes; temperate forest}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{13}},
  pages        = {{2321--2333}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Molecular Ecology}},
  title        = {{Share the wealth : Trees with greater ectomycorrhizal species overlap share more carbon}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/mec.15351}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/mec.15351}},
  volume       = {{29}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}