13C and15N isotopic fractionation in trees, soils and fungi in a natural forest stand and a Norway spruce plantation

Abstract

15N and 13C natural abundances of foliage, branches, trunks, litter, soil, fungal sporophores, mycorrhizas and mycelium were determined in two forest stands, a natural forest and a Norway spruce plantation, to obtain some insights into the role of the functional diversity of saprotrophic and ectomycorrhizal fungi in carbon and nitrogen cycles. Almost all saprotrophic fungi sporophores were enriched in 13C relative to their substrate. In contrast, they exhibited no or very little shift of δ15N. Judging from the amount of C discrimination, ectomycorrhizal fungi seem to acquire carbon from their host or from dead organic matter. Some ectomycorrhizal species seem able to acquire nitrogen from dead organic matter and could be able to transfer it to their host without nitrogen fractionation, while others supply their host with 15N- depleted nitrogen. Moreover ectomycorrhizal species displayed a significant N fractionation during sporophore differentiation, while saprotrophic fungi did not. © INRA, EDP Sciences, 2007.