Soil Layers Matter: Vertical Stratification of Root-Associated Fungal Assemblages in Temperate Forests Reveals Differences in Habitat Colonization.

ABSTRACT: Ectomycorrhizal and saprotrophic fungi play pivotal roles in ecosystem functioning. Here, we studied the vertical differentiation of root-associated fungi (RAF) in temperate forests. We analysed RAF assemblages in the organic and mineral soil from 150 experimental forest plots across three biogeographic regions spanning a distance of about 800 km. Saprotrophic RAF showed the highest richness in organic and symbiotrophic RAF in mineral soil. Symbiotrophic RAF exhibited higher relative abundances than saprotrophic fungi in both soil layers. Beta-diversity of RAF was mainly due to turnover between organic and mineral soil and showed regional differences for symbiotrophic and saprotrophic fungi. Regional differences were also found for different phylogenetic levels, i.e., fungal orders and ind

SUBMITTER: Khokon AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8537680 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature