Contrasting effects of nitrogen availability on plant carbon supply to mycorrhizal fungi and saprotrophs - a hypothesis based on field observations in boreal forest
• Soil microorganisms are considered C-limited, while plant productivity is frequently N-limited. Large stores of organic C in boreal forest soils are attributed to negative effects of low temperature, soil acidity and plant residue recalcitrance upon microbial activity. • We examined microbial ac...
| Veröffentlicht in: | The New phytologist. - 1979. - 160(2003), 1 vom: 20. Okt., Seite 225-238 |
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| 1. Verfasser: | |
| Weitere Verfasser: | , , , |
| Format: | Online-Aufsatz |
| Sprache: | English |
| Veröffentlicht: |
2003
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| Zugriff auf das übergeordnete Werk: | The New phytologist |
| Schlagworte: | Journal Article Review boreal forest carbon supply microbial biomass mycorrhizal fungi nitrogen availability saprotrophs soil pH soil sampling |
| Zusammenfassung: | • Soil microorganisms are considered C-limited, while plant productivity is frequently N-limited. Large stores of organic C in boreal forest soils are attributed to negative effects of low temperature, soil acidity and plant residue recalcitrance upon microbial activity. • We examined microbial activity, biomass and community composition along a natural 90-m-long soil N supply gradient, where plant species composition varies profoundly, forest productivity three-fold and soil pH by three units. • There was, however, no significant variation in soil respiration in the field across the gradient. Neither did microbial biomass C determined by fumigation-extraction vary, while other estimates of activity and biomass showed a weak increase with increasing N supply and soil pH. Simultaneously, a phospholipid fatty acid attributed mainly to mycorrhizal fungi declined drastically, while bacterial biomass increased. • We hypothesize that low N supply and plant productivity, and hence low litter C supply to saprotrophs is associated with a high plant C supply to mycorrhizal fungi, while the reverse occurs under high N supply. This should mean that effects of N availability on C supply to these functional groups of microbes acts in opposing directions |
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| Beschreibung: | Date Revised 20.04.2021 published: Print Citation Status PubMed-not-MEDLINE |
| ISSN: | 1469-8137 |
| DOI: | 10.1046/j.1469-8137.2003.00867.x |