We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Mycorrhizal roots slow the decay of belowground litters in a temperate hardwood forest.
- Authors
Beidler, Katilyn V.; Oh, Young E.; Pritchard, Seth G.; Phillips, Richard P.
- Abstract
There is increasing evidence that plant roots and mycorrhizal fungi, whether living or dead, play a central role in soil carbon (C) cycling. Root–mycorrhizal–microbial interactions can both suppress and enhance litter decay, with the net result dependent upon belowground nutrient acquisition strategies and soil nutrient availability. We measured the net effect of living roots and mycorrhizal fungi on the decay of dead roots and fungal hyphae in a hardwood forest dominated by either sugar maple (Acer saccharum) or white oak (Quercus alba) trees. Root and fungal litter were allowed to decompose within root-ingrowth bags and root-exclusion cores. In conjunction with root effects on decay, we assessed foraging responses and root induced changes in soil moisture, nitrogen (N) availability and enzyme activity. After 1 year, maple root production increased, and mycorrhizal fungal colonization decreased in the presence of decaying litter. In addition, we found that actively foraging roots suppressed the decay of root litter (− 14%) more than fungal litter (− 3%), and suppression of root decay was stronger for oak (− 20%) than maple roots (− 8%). Suppressive effects of oak roots on decay were greatest when roots also reduced soil N availability, which corresponded with reductions in hydrolytic enzyme activity and enhanced oxidative enzyme activities. These findings further our understanding of context‐dependent drivers of root–mycorrhizal–microbial interactions and demonstrate that such interactions can play an underappreciated role in soil organic matter accumulation and turnover in temperate forests.
- Subjects
HARDWOOD forests; DEAD trees; TEMPERATE forests; WHITE oak; SUGAR maple; HYDROLASES
- Publication
Oecologia, 2021, Vol 197, Issue 3, p743
- ISSN
0029-8549
- Publication type
Academic Journal
- DOI
10.1007/s00442-021-05051-1