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Effects of organic amendments with various nitrogen levels on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal growth

Aleklett, Kristin LU and Wallander, Håkan LU orcid (2012) In Applied Soil Ecology 60. p.71-76
Abstract
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are plant symbionts capable of enhancing nutrient uptake and improving soil structure. These features have brought AMF into focus as a component of soil restoration practices in ecosystems with degraded or highly eroded soils. It has been suggested that increasing the levels of organic material in the soil will enhance the production of AMF biomass, and that organic amendments with high concentrations of nitrogen (N) generate the largest increases in AMF growth. We tested the effects of different organic amendments and N sources on AMF responses in a natural sand dune system and pot cultures of Zea Mays L. The in-growth of AMF was measured as relative biomass through analyses of signature phospholipid... (More)
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are plant symbionts capable of enhancing nutrient uptake and improving soil structure. These features have brought AMF into focus as a component of soil restoration practices in ecosystems with degraded or highly eroded soils. It has been suggested that increasing the levels of organic material in the soil will enhance the production of AMF biomass, and that organic amendments with high concentrations of nitrogen (N) generate the largest increases in AMF growth. We tested the effects of different organic amendments and N sources on AMF responses in a natural sand dune system and pot cultures of Zea Mays L. The in-growth of AMF was measured as relative biomass through analyses of signature phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) and neutral lipid fatty acids (NLFA) from mesh bags with different treatments. In the field, results showed a significant positive effect in AMF growth from adding a naturally N-rich organic amendment (alfalfa). Amendments of the low-N organic amendment (barley straw) produced no positive effect, and the effect was negative when ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) was added to the barley straw to simulate the N concentrations of alfalfa. Saprophytic fungi, on the other hand, were stimulated by additions of NH4NO3. In greenhouse conditions, alfalfa and yeast extract were found to have a similar effect on AMF growth when added proportionally to their N content, even though their mass and texture are distinct. These results suggest the N content in organic amendments does play a role in its effect on AMF growth. There are also indications that the organic or inorganic nature of the N could determine its effect on AMF growth, possibly through interactions with the surrounding microbial community. This aspect requires further investigation. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. (Less)
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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
AMF, Organic amendments, Nitrogen, PLFA, NLFA
in
Applied Soil Ecology
volume
60
pages
71 - 76
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000309801600010
  • scopus:84865861766
ISSN
0929-1393
DOI
10.1016/j.apsoil.2012.03.007
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
aa90de6f-6237-47d3-93fa-70f198df8c43 (old id 3175136)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:52:05
date last changed
2022-01-26 03:12:12
@article{aa90de6f-6237-47d3-93fa-70f198df8c43,
  abstract     = {{Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are plant symbionts capable of enhancing nutrient uptake and improving soil structure. These features have brought AMF into focus as a component of soil restoration practices in ecosystems with degraded or highly eroded soils. It has been suggested that increasing the levels of organic material in the soil will enhance the production of AMF biomass, and that organic amendments with high concentrations of nitrogen (N) generate the largest increases in AMF growth. We tested the effects of different organic amendments and N sources on AMF responses in a natural sand dune system and pot cultures of Zea Mays L. The in-growth of AMF was measured as relative biomass through analyses of signature phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) and neutral lipid fatty acids (NLFA) from mesh bags with different treatments. In the field, results showed a significant positive effect in AMF growth from adding a naturally N-rich organic amendment (alfalfa). Amendments of the low-N organic amendment (barley straw) produced no positive effect, and the effect was negative when ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) was added to the barley straw to simulate the N concentrations of alfalfa. Saprophytic fungi, on the other hand, were stimulated by additions of NH4NO3. In greenhouse conditions, alfalfa and yeast extract were found to have a similar effect on AMF growth when added proportionally to their N content, even though their mass and texture are distinct. These results suggest the N content in organic amendments does play a role in its effect on AMF growth. There are also indications that the organic or inorganic nature of the N could determine its effect on AMF growth, possibly through interactions with the surrounding microbial community. This aspect requires further investigation. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.}},
  author       = {{Aleklett, Kristin and Wallander, Håkan}},
  issn         = {{0929-1393}},
  keywords     = {{AMF; Organic amendments; Nitrogen; PLFA; NLFA}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{71--76}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Applied Soil Ecology}},
  title        = {{Effects of organic amendments with various nitrogen levels on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal growth}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2012.03.007}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.apsoil.2012.03.007}},
  volume       = {{60}},
  year         = {{2012}},
}