title: Spatial patterns of ectomycorrhizal assemblages in a monospecific forest in relation to host tree genotype.
abstract: Ectomycorrhizas (EcM) are important for soil exploration and thereby may shape belowground interactions of roots. We investigated the composition and spatial structures of EcM assemblages in relation to host genotype in an old-growth, monospecific beech (Fagus sylvatica) forest. We hypothesized that neighboring roots of different beech individuals are colonized by similar EcM assemblages if host genotype had no influence on the fungal colonization and that the similarity would decrease with increasing distance of the sampling points. The alternative was that the EcM species showed preferences for distinct beech genotypes resulting in intraspecific variation of EcM-host assemblages. EcM species identities, abundance and exploration type as well as the genotypes of the colonized roots were determined in each sampling unit of a 1 L soil core (r = 0.04 m, depth 0.2 m). The Morisita-Horn similarity indices (MHSI) based on EcM species abundance and multiple community comparisons were calculated. No pronounced variation of MHSI with increasing distances of the sampling points within a plot was found, but variations between plots. Very high similarities and no between plot variation were found for MHSI based on EcM exploration types suggesting homogenous soil foraging in this ecosystem. The EcM community on different root genotypes in the same soil core exhibited high similarity, whereas the EcM communities on the root of the same tree genotype in different soil cores were significantly dissimilar. This finding suggests that spatial structuring of EcM assemblages occurs within the root system of an individual. This may constitute a novel, yet unknown mechanism ensuring colonization by a diverse EcM community of the roots of a given host individual.
authors: Forest Botany and Tree Physiology, Büsgen-Institut, Georg-August Universität Göttingen Göttingen, Germany.
authors: Christa
authors: C
authors: Lang
authors: Reiner
authors: R
authors: Finkeldey
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Polle
keywords: belowground interactions; community ecology; deciduous forest; ectomycorrhiza; interspecific variation; intraspecific variation
references: New Phytol. 2013 Jul;199(2):520-528
references: 23594339
references: Mol Ecol. 2001 Aug;10(8):2079-87
references: 11555251
references: New Phytol. 2012 Oct;196(2):367-382
references: 22963677
references: Appl Environ Microbiol. 2008 Sep;74(18):5792-801
references: 18658284
references: New Phytol. 2005 Jul;167(1):309-19
references: 15948852
references: New Phytol. 2010 Jan;185(2):543-53
references: 19878460
references: New Phytol. 2010 May;186(3):755-68
references: 20202132
references: Oecologia. 2008 Nov;158(2):193-203
references: 18781333
references: Mol Ecol. 2012 Oct;21(20):5110-23
references: 22971047
references: Mycorrhiza. 2010 Oct;20(7):473-81
references: 20155377
references: Mycorrhiza. 2011 May;21(4):297-308
references: 20886243
references: Tree Physiol. 2011 May;31(5):531-8
references: 21636693
references: Biometrics. 2008 Dec;64(4):1178-86
references: 18355386
references: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1999 Sep 28;96(20):11387-92
references: 10500186
references: FEMS Microbiol Ecol. 2009 Mar;67(3):411-20
references: 19220859
references: Mycorrhiza. 2005 Jun;15(4):235-45
references: 15221576
references: Mol Ecol. 1999 Mar;8(3):485-91
references: 10199009
references: New Phytol. 2012 May;194(3):614-628
references: 22489902
references: J Exp Bot. 2011 Jan;62(1):249-60
references: 20881013
references: New Phytol. 2006;170(2):381-90
references: 16608462
references: Oecologia. 2009 Aug;161(1):99-111
references: 19415337
references: PLoS One. 2013;8(3):e59207
references: 23516610
references: Appl Environ Microbiol. 2010 Mar;76(6):1831-41
references: 20097809
references: Mol Ecol. 2000 Oct;9(10):1549-59
references: 11050550
references: Ecology. 2010 Aug;91(8):2324-32
references: 20836454
references: Mol Ecol. 2004 Nov;13(11):3595-600
references: 15488015
references: Mycorrhiza. 2013 Jan;23(1):21-33
references: 22644394