Soil microbial community response to ectomycorrhizal dominance in diverse neotropical montane forests.

ABSTRACT: Ectomycorrhizal (EM) associations can promote the dominance of tree species in otherwise diverse tropical forests. These EM associations between trees and their fungal mutualists have important consequences for soil organic matter cycling, yet the influence of these EM-associated effects on surrounding microbial communities is not well known, particularly in neotropical forests. We examined fungal and prokaryotic community composition in surface soil samples from mixed arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) and ectomycorrhizal (EM) stands as well as stands dominated by EM-associated Oreomunnea mexicana (Juglandaceae) in four watersheds differing in soil fertility in the Fortuna Forest Reserve, Panama. We hypothesized that EM-dominated stands would support distinct microbial community assemblages rela

SUBMITTER: Edwards JD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10998807 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature