A trait spectrum linking nitrogen acquisition and carbon use of ectomycorrhizal fungi
Jörgensen, Karolina ; Clemmensen, Karina E. ; Fransson, Petra ; Manzoni, Stefano ; Wallander, Håkan LU
and Lindahl, Björn D.
(2025)
In New Phytologist
246(6).
p.2425-2434
- Abstract
Trait spectra have been used in various branches of ecology to explain and predict patterns of species distributions. Several categorical and continuous traits have been proposed as relevant for ectomycorrhizal fungi, but a spectrum that unifies co-varying traits remains to be established and tested. Here, we propose a nitrogen acquisition and carbon use trait spectrum for ectomycorrhizal fungi in nitrogen-limited forests, which encompasses several morphological, physiological, and metabolic traits. Using a simple stoichiometric model, the trait spectrum is linked to the concept of apparent carbon use efficiency and resolves the contradiction that species with high supply of host carbon can maintain nitrogen transfer despite building... (More)
Trait spectra have been used in various branches of ecology to explain and predict patterns of species distributions. Several categorical and continuous traits have been proposed as relevant for ectomycorrhizal fungi, but a spectrum that unifies co-varying traits remains to be established and tested. Here, we propose a nitrogen acquisition and carbon use trait spectrum for ectomycorrhizal fungi in nitrogen-limited forests, which encompasses several morphological, physiological, and metabolic traits. Using a simple stoichiometric model, the trait spectrum is linked to the concept of apparent carbon use efficiency and resolves the contradiction that species with high supply of host carbon can maintain nitrogen transfer despite building large mycelial biomass. We suggest that ectomycorrhizal fungal species are distributed along this spectrum, with lifestyles ranging from ‘absorbers’ with a niche in high productive forests with high availability of soluble nitrogen to ‘miners’ with the ability to exploit organic matter in forests with low nitrogen availability. Further, we propose ways to test the outlined trait spectrum empirically.
(Less)
- author
- Jörgensen, Karolina
; Clemmensen, Karina E.
; Fransson, Petra
; Manzoni, Stefano
; Wallander, Håkan
LU
and Lindahl, Björn D.
- organization
- publishing date
- 2025-06
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- carbon use efficiency, ectomycorrhizal exploration types, extraradical mycelium, functional traits, fungal ecology
- in
- New Phytologist
- volume
- 246
- issue
- 6
- pages
- 10 pages
- publisher
- Wiley-Blackwell
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:40186423
- scopus:105002125570
- ISSN
- 0028-646X
- DOI
- 10.1111/nph.70129
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 16f93a69-f42d-4d76-bd92-14172e016431
- date added to LUP
- 2025-09-03 10:41:04
- date last changed
- 2025-10-02 08:14:54
@article{16f93a69-f42d-4d76-bd92-14172e016431,
abstract = {{<p>Trait spectra have been used in various branches of ecology to explain and predict patterns of species distributions. Several categorical and continuous traits have been proposed as relevant for ectomycorrhizal fungi, but a spectrum that unifies co-varying traits remains to be established and tested. Here, we propose a nitrogen acquisition and carbon use trait spectrum for ectomycorrhizal fungi in nitrogen-limited forests, which encompasses several morphological, physiological, and metabolic traits. Using a simple stoichiometric model, the trait spectrum is linked to the concept of apparent carbon use efficiency and resolves the contradiction that species with high supply of host carbon can maintain nitrogen transfer despite building large mycelial biomass. We suggest that ectomycorrhizal fungal species are distributed along this spectrum, with lifestyles ranging from ‘absorbers’ with a niche in high productive forests with high availability of soluble nitrogen to ‘miners’ with the ability to exploit organic matter in forests with low nitrogen availability. Further, we propose ways to test the outlined trait spectrum empirically.</p>}},
author = {{Jörgensen, Karolina and Clemmensen, Karina E. and Fransson, Petra and Manzoni, Stefano and Wallander, Håkan and Lindahl, Björn D.}},
issn = {{0028-646X}},
keywords = {{carbon use efficiency; ectomycorrhizal exploration types; extraradical mycelium; functional traits; fungal ecology}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{6}},
pages = {{2425--2434}},
publisher = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
series = {{New Phytologist}},
title = {{A trait spectrum linking nitrogen acquisition and carbon use of ectomycorrhizal fungi}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/nph.70129}},
doi = {{10.1111/nph.70129}},
volume = {{246}},
year = {{2025}},
}