Ectomycorrhizal fungal diversity, tree diversity and root nutrient relations in a mixed Central European forest

Abstract

Knowledge is limited about whether root nutrient concentrations are affected by mixtures of tree species and interspecific root competition. The goal of this field study was to investigate root nutrient element concentrations in relation to root and ectomycorrhizal (EM) diversity in six different mixtures of beech (Fagus sylvatica), ash (Fraxinus excelsior) and lime (Tilia sp.) in an old-growth, undisturbed forest ecosystem. Root biomass and nutrient concentrations per tree taxon as well as the abundance and identity of all EM fungi were determined in soil cores of a volume of 1 L (r = 40 mm, depth=200 mm). Stand-level nutrient concentrations in overall root biomass and H′ (Shannon-Wiener diversity) were obtained by pooling the data per stand. At stand level, Shannon H′ for roots and aboveground tree species abundance were correlated. H′ for roots and EM fungi were not correlated because of the contribution of ash roots that form only arbuscular mycorrhizal but no EM associations. Nutrient element concentrations in roots showed taxon-related differences and increased in the following order: beech≤lime