The contrasting intraspecific vs. interspecific diversity effects on soil fungal diversity
We employed a DNA metabarcoding approach to analysis the major fungal functional guilds in soils, as well as determining environmental properties in a large experiment factorially manipulating within-species genetic richness of subtropical trees. Our results showed an interplay of tree genetic and species richness affecting alpha diversity of all fungal community and saprotrophic fungal guild. Specifically, tree genetic richness effect on soil fungal diversity was positive in monoculture, whereas it was negative in the plots of species mixture. Moreover, tree species richness rather than genetic richness explained more in the community composition of fungal guilds. Our findings indicate that alpha diversity and community composition of fungal community in topsoil layer rather than in subsoil layer were more sensitive in response to tree species and genetic richness. Overall, we argue that disentangling the effects of diversity within and between species on soil fungal diversity patterns and exploring potential explanations are necessary to gain an expanded understanding about multiple dimensions of biodiversity and related ecosystem functions.