Optimum conditions for pure culture of major ectomycorrhizal fungi obtained from Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica plantations in southeastern Keerqin sandy lands, China

The effects of medium, pH, water potential and temperature on the culture for three pure strains （Lactarius deliciosus, Boletus edulis and Lactarius insulsus） of ectomycorrhizal fungi from plantation forests of Mongolian pine （Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica） on sandy lands were observed to obtain the optimum conditions for the growth of ectomycorrhizal fungi. The results indicated that the three ectomycorrhizal fungi could grow well in the mediums containing natural components, such as vitamin, pine juice and yeast powder, pH had a slight effect on the growth of the three ectomycorrhizal fungi, and the optimum pH values were 6.0 for L. deliciosus, 5.0 for B. edulis, respectively. However, L. insulsus had a wide pH range, and it grew better than the other two strains in neutral and light alkalescent mediums. Water potential （produced by Polyethylene Glycol, PEG） had significant effects on the ecological adaptability for the tested three fungi strains. All of the three stains grow better at lower PEG concentration （100 g PEG.kg^-1 H2O）. The best water potential was 10% PEG concentration for all of the three stains. Temperatures, especially high temperatures induced the fungi death. The optimum temperature for the growth of ectomycorrhizal fungi was 25-28℃ for all of the three stains.

Ectomycorrhizal Fungi in Jiangsu Province,China

A survey was conducted for about 3 years to study the abundance and diversity of ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) in Jiangsu Province, China. The identification of the fungal species was based on the microscopic and macroscopic characteristics of their fruiting bodies. About 126 species of EMF were found in Jiangsu Province. These fungi were largely categorized into three orders (of 121 species), four families (of 96 species), and six genera (of about 86 species).

Bio-Mobilization of Potassium from Clay Minerals: Ⅱ. By Ectomycorrhizal Fungi

Ectomycorrhizal fungi, including Cenococcum geophilum SIV (Cg SIV), and Pisolithus tinctorius 2144 (Pt 2144), 441 (Pt 441) and XC1 (Pt XC1), were cultured in Pachlewski liquid medium with H2KPO4,KCl- saturated vermiculite and mica as K sources, respectively, to investigate the mechanism of K absorption and mobilization by the fungi. Fungal growth rate, K absorption and mobilization varied significantly among the fungal species. Faster growth and greater K accumulation in Pt XC1 than Pt 2 144, Pt 441 and Cg siv were observed. Ectomycorrhizal fungi depressed HCl-soluble K in minerals after successive extractions by water and NH4OAc. Ratio of the total amount of K, including water-, NH4OAc- and HCI-soluble K, lost from substrates to the K accumulated in fungal colonies was less than 60%. These reveal that the ectomycorrhizal fungi could utilize K in interlayer and structural pools, which are usually unavailable for plants in short period. Large differences in the depletion of K in interlayer and structural pools by fungi were observed at fungal harvest. Taking into account the nutrient absorption by ectomycorrhizal fungi in symbionts and the direct contact between hyphae and soils, the fungi species colonized on the root surfaces seemed to be related to the effectiveness of mycorrhizas to utilize K in soils. Ectomycorrhizal fungi differed in the efflux of protons and oxalate. Pt XC1 was observed to have greatest ability to effuse protons and oxalate among the fungi adopted in the experiment. Furthermore, the higher the concentrations of protons and oxalate in the liquid culture solutions, the larger the depletion of K in interlayer and structural pools in minerals by fungi. Protons could replace interlayer K and chelation of oxalate with Fe and Al in crystal lattice could cause weathering of clay minerals. So, protons and oxalate produced by ectomycorrhizal fungi might play an important role in K mobilization in these two pools.

Differential aluminum tolerance and absorption characteristics in Pinus massoniana seedlings colonized with ectomycorrhizal fungi of Lactarius deliciosus and Pisolithus tinctorius

Plant tolerance to aluminum(Al)toxicity can be enhanced by an ectomycorrhizal(ECM)fungus through biological filtering or physical blockage.To understand the roles of ECM colonization in Al absorption with regard to Al tolerance,Pinus massoniana seedlings were inoculated with either Lactarius deliciosus(L.:Fr.)Gray isolate 2 or Pisolithus tinctorius(Pers.)Coker et Couch isolate 715 and cultivated in an acid yellow soil with or without 1.0 mM Al^(3+)irrigation for 10 weeks.Biomass production,Al bioaccumulation and transport in seedlings colonized by the two ECM fungi were compared,and the three absorption kinetics(pseudo-first order,pseudo-second order and intraparticle diffusion)models used to evaluate variances in root Al^(3+)absorption capacity.Results show that both fungi increased aboveground biomass and Al tolerance of P.massoniana seedlings,but L.deliciosus 2 was more effective than P.tinctorius 715.Lower Al absorption capacity,fewer available active sites and decreased affinity and boundary layer thickness for Al^(3+),and higher Al accumulation and translocation contributed to the increased Al tolerance in the ECM-inoculated seedlings.These results advance our understanding of the mechanisms and strategies in plant Alto lerance conferred by ECM fungi and show that inoculation with L.deliciosus will better enhance Al tolerance in P.massoniana seedlings used for forest plantation and ecosystem restoration in acidic soils,particularly in Southwest China and similar soils worldwide.

Distinguishing ectomycorrhizal and saprophytic fungi using carbon and nitrogen isotopic compositions

Ectomycorrhizal fungi, a group of widespread symbiotic fungi with plant, obtain carbon source from trees and improve plant mineral nutrient uptake with their widespread hyphal network. Ectomycorrhizal fungi can be used as inoculants to improve the survival rates of plantation. Saprophytic fungi use the nutrition from the debris of plant or animals, and it is difficult to distinguish the saprophytic and ectomycorrhizal fungi by morphological and anatomic methods. In this research, the differences of stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic compositions of these fungi were analyzed. The results showed that the abundances of 13C of were higher than those of ectomycorrhizal fungi and the abundances of 15N of saprophytic fungi were lower than those of ectomycorrhizal fungi. Such differences of stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic compositions between ectomycorrhizal fungi and saprophytic fungi can be ascribed to their different nutrition sources and ecological functions. These results collectively indicate that stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic compositions are an effective proxy for distinguishing between ectomycorrhizal and saprophytic fungi.

Gut passage of epigeous ectomycorrhizal fungi by two opportunistic mycophagous rodents

Mycophagists can influence fungal diversity within their home ranges by ensuring the continued and effective dispersal of spores from one site to another. However, the passage of spores through the digestive tract of vertebrates can affect the activity and viability of the spores ingested. This phenomenon has been rarely documented in opportunistic mycophagists consuming epigeous fungi. Using laboratory experiments, we investigated the activity and viability of spores of two epigeous ectomycorrhizal fungal species （Laccaria trichodermophora and SuiUus tomentosus） after passage through the digestive tract of two opportunistic mycophagous small rodents, the volcano mouse Peromyscus alstoni and the deer mouse P maniculatus. We found that passage through the gut of either species of rodent had a significant effect on spore activity and viability for both fungal species. The proportion of active spores （0.37-0.40） of L. trichodermophora in the feces of both species of rodents was less than that recorded for the control （0.82）. However, the proportion of active spores （0.644）.73） of S. tomentosus in the feces of each species of rodent was higher than in the control （0.40）. On the other hand, the viability of spores was lower （0.26-0.30 in L. trichodermophora and 0.604）.69 in S. tomentosus） for both fungi when consumed by either rodent relative to the controls （0.90 in L. trichodermophora and 0.82 in S. tomentosus）. These findings suggest that these rodent species may be effective dispersers of both epigeous fungi [Current Zoology 57 （3）： 293-299, 2011].

Biosorption Characteristics of Ectomycorrhizal Fungal Mycelium for Anthracene

Objective To investigate the potential of Gomphidius viscidus,a kind of ectomycorrhizal fungi,for phytoremediation of anthracene in soil.Methods Absorptioe changes of micro-habitat were studied in detail.Conclusion Ectomycorrhizal plants have a strong potential for remediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarn characteristics of both active and inactivated mycelia.Results A high calculated adsorption capacity of 1 886.79 mg/g and 1 515.15 mg/g at 25 ℃,pH 6.0 for active and inactivated mycelia respectively,was obtained based on Langmuir model.The ANT biosorption was more ideally characterized by the Langmuir model than by the Freundlich model.The biosorption of anthracene to biomass was extremely fast and could be modeled with pseudo-second order adsorption kinetics.Moreover,ectomycorrhizal mycelia demonstrated a strong ability to adjust the physiological process to get adapted to the change of micro-habitat.

Diversity of mycorrhizal fungi and soil indicative species in coastal plantations of northeast Brazil

The aim of this work was to evaluate arbuscular mycorrhizal(AM)fungi as soil indicators and the mycorrhization of native and exotic tree species planted in the Acaraúbasin,a transition area from the coast to the Brazilian semiarid region.Plots with 6-year-old trees of four native and three non-native species as well as one non-forested area were evaluated in terms of the diversity of AM fungi in the mycorrhizosphere and the root colonization by AM and ectomycorrhizal(EcM)fungi.Twenty-four AM fungi were identified;Claroideoglomus etunicatum,Glomus sinuosum,Paraglomus albidum,Acaulospora laevis,and Acaulospora brasiliensis were abundant in the forest soil.Diversity,dominance,evenness and richness indices of AM fungi were higher in plots with native trees.All root samples were colonized by AM fungi and only A nadenanthera colubrina,Acacia mangium,Casuarina equisetifolia and Eucalyptus urophylla formed associations with EcM fungi.Acaulospora morphotypes served as soil indicators for coverings with the native species Astronium fraxinifolium and Colubrina glandulosa.Exotic species may favor the proliferation of rarer AM fungi.These fungi–plant relationships may be important in the management of forest systems,and the evidence with mycorrhizal associations allows the inclusion of Brazilian species in tropical reforestation.

Linking ectomycorrhizal mushroom species richness and composition with dominant trees in a tropical seasonal rainforest

Vegetation,elevation gradient and soil temperature are considered as major drivers of ECM fungi species richness.ECM sporocarps were collected during rainy seasons for two years to study the link between the distribution of ECM mushrooms with Castonopsis echinocarpa,Parashorea chinensis,and Pittosporopsis kerrii with varying elevations and soil temperatures,in a tropical rain forest Xishuangbanna,Yunnan,China.For each tree species,60 trees of approximately the same size were selected,where half of them were growing at higher elevation levels and the rest at lower levels.The highest total counts of ECM fungi,as well as the highest species richness were produced by P.chinensis followed by C.echinocarpa and P.kerrii.Highest species richness was shown in September by P.chinensis,while P.kerrii trees had the lowest count of mushrooms across rainy seasons.Species of Boletales were recorded with highest species richness followed by species of order Agaricales around both C.echinocarpa and P.chinensis.ECM fungi count declined with increased elevation.Furthermore,fungi species richness increased positively with increased soil temperature in a tropical seasonal rainforest.

Diverse responses of fungal functional groups to desertification in forest soils of Pinus densata on the Chinese Tibetan plateau

Rapid increase in desertification is an environ-mental concern,especially for the health and sustainabil-ity of ecosystems in changing climates.How ecosystems respond to such changes may be partially understood by studying interactions and performance of critically impor-tant groups such as soil fungi functional groups.This study investigated variations in diversities of three soil fungi functional guilds(saprotrophic,symbiotic,pathogenic)and influencing abiotic factors in a Pinus densata forest on the southeast Tibetan Plateau where desertification is intense.The results indicate desertification significantly decreased the proportion of dominant fungal guild-symbiotic fungi(mean relative abundance decreasing from 97.0%to 68.3%),in contrast to saprotrophic fungi(increasing from 2.7%to 25.7%)and pathogenic(from 0.3%to 5.9%).Soil pH had the most significant impact on fungal community structure and negatively correlated with symbiotic fungal richness,which was significantly lower in arid soils,and positively correlated with saprotrophic and pathogenic fungal alpha-diversity,which were abundant.Different community struc-tures and regulators of the three fungi communities were observed,with pH,total phosphorus and ammonium(NH_(4)^(+))as the main determinants.This study links the biotic and abi-otic components during desertification and the interactions between them,and may be used as indicators of ecosystem health and for amendments to mitigate the effects of a chang-ing climate.

Identification and Preliminary Analysis of the Genetic Diversity of Cenococcum geophilum Fr.

To identify Cenococcum geophilum Fr., estimate their genetic diversity and study the effects on their genetic variation, 27 Chinese C. geophilum isolates from 6 host plant species and 5 French C. geophilum isolates were analyzed using morphological and molecular methods. The universal primers ITS1/ITS4 were used in PCR-RFLP to amplify the rDNA internal transcribed spacer （ITS） of tested C. geophilum isolates. The amplified products were digested with EcoR Ⅰ, Hinf Ⅰ, and Mbo Ⅰ, and the digested fragments of PCR products showed that there were obvious differences. A random primer （5′-CGCACCGCAC-3′） was employed in RAPD to amplify the genomic DNA of C. geophilum, and 19 detectable and reliable DNA bands of 300-2000 bp size were observed. According to the number, position, and strength of the DNA bands in agarose gel, the genetic distance and the genetic similarity among C. geophilum isolates were calculated using the PopGen Ver. 1.31 dendrogram analysis software. A phylogenetic tree was constructed based on the genetic distance by the Neighbor-Joining/UPGMA in PHYLIP. The results suggest the high level of genetic diversity among C. geophilum isolates from the same or different hosts. The effects of geographical factors or host plant species on C. geophilum genetic variation are not obvious.

Fungal diversity and community composition responses to the reintroduction of fire in a non-managed Mediterranean shrubland ecosystem

Background:More than a decade of fire suppression has changed the structure of fire-adapted shrubland ecosystems in Spain’s National Parks,which are now at extreme risk of uncontrolled wildfires.Prescribed burning can mitigate the risk of wildfires by reducing the fuel load but prescribed burning may also alter the soil properties and reduce microbial and fungal activity,causing changes in the availability of nutrients deep in the soil layer.Although fungal communities are a vital part of post-fire restoration,some fire effects remain unclear.To examine the short-term effects of prescribed burning on soil fungal communities in Doñana Biological Reserve(SW Spain),we collected soil samples pre-burn and 1 day,6 and 12 months post-burn from burned plots to perform physicochemical and metabarcode DNA analyses.Results:Prescribed burning had no significant effect on the total fungal operational taxonomic unit richness and abundance.However,changes in soil pH,nitrogen and potassium content post-burn affected fungal community composition.Small non-significant changes in pH and phosphorous affected the composition of ectomycorrhizal fungi.Conclusions:The ectomycorrhizal fungal community appears to be resilient to the effects of low-to moderate-intensity fires and saprotrophic taxa may benefit from this kind of fire.This finding revealed that prescribed burning is a potentially valuable management tool for reducing fire hazards in shrublands that has little effect on the total richness and abundance of fungal communities.

Nitrogen availability mediates the effects of roots and mycorrhizal fungi on soil organic carbon decomposition:A meta-analysis

Plant roots and their associated mycorrhizal fungi critically mediate the decomposition of soil organic carbon(C),but the general patterns of their impacts over a broad geographical range and the primary mediating factors remain unclear.Based on a synthesis of 596 paired observations from both field and greenhouse experiments,we found that living roots and/or mycorrhizal fungi increased organic C decomposition by 30.9%,but low soil nitrogen(N)availability(i.e.,high soil C:N ratio)critically mitigated this promotion effect.In addition,the positive effects of living roots and/or mycorrhizal fungi on organic C decomposition were higher under herbaceous and leguminous plants than under woody and non-leguminous plants,respectively.Surprisingly,there was no significant difference between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and ectomycorrhizal fungi in their effects on organic C decomposition.Furthermore,roots and/or mycorrhizal fungi significantly enhanced the decomposition of leaf litter but not root litter.These findings advance our understanding of how roots and their symbiotic fungi modulate soil C dynamics in the rhizosphere or mycorrhizosphere and may help improve predictions of soil global C balance under a changing climate.

The role of soil-borne fungi in driving the coexistence of Pinus massoniana and Lithocarpus glaber in a subtropical forest via plant-soil feedback

Aims Plant–soil feedback(PSF)is a key mechanism that can facilitate tree species coexistence and diversity.Substantial evidence suggests that species-specific soil-borne pathogens around adult trees limit the performance of home(conspecific)seedlings relative to foreign(heterospecific)seedlings.However,the underlying mechanism remains largely elusive.Methods Here,we conducted a reciprocal transplant pot experiment using seedlings and from two tree species,Pinus massoniana and Lithocarpus glaber that are dominant and coexist in a subtropical,evergreen,broad-leaf forest in Gutianshan,Zhejiang Province of eastern China.We examined how seedlings from the two tree species responded to soils originating from underneath their own versus the other tree species,using a full-factorial design.Additionally,we added a fungicide(benomyl)to half of the pots to evaluate the role of soil-borne fungi on seedling growth.Important Findings We found that the seedlings from L.glaber grew better in soils that were collected from beneath the canopy of P.massoniana,while seedling growth of P.massioniana was not affected by soil origin.The addition of fungicide benomyl resulted in a shift towards more positive PSF effects for L.glaber,indicating that L.glaber seedlings performed better in their own soils than in soils from P.massoniana in the absence of fungi.Our findings highlight the importance of soil-borne pathogenic and ectomycorrhizal fungi in driving PSF,and indicate that PSF may promote the coexistence of two subtropical tree species by reducing the performance of L.glaber in own soils.

Large-diameter trees and deadwood correspond with belowground ectomycorrhizal fungal richness

Background: Large-diameter trees have an outsized influence on aboveground forest dynamics, composition, and structure. Although their influence on aboveground processes is well studied, their role in shaping belowground fungal communities is largely unknown. We sought to test if (i) fungal community spatial structure matched aboveground forest structure;(ii) fungal functional guilds exhibited differential associations to aboveground trees, snags, and deadwood;and (iii) that large-diameter trees and snags have a larger influence on fungal community richness than smaller-diameter trees. We used MiSeq sequencing of fungal communities collected from soils in a spatially intensive survey in a portion of Cedar Breaks National Monument, Utah, USA. We used random forest models to explore the spatial structure of fungal communities as they relate to explicitly mapped trees and deadwood distributed across 1.15 ha of a 15.32-ha mapped subalpine forest. Results: We found 6,177 fungal amplicon sequence variants across 117 sequenced samples. Tree diameter, dead-wood presence, and tree species identity explained more than twice as much variation (38.7% vs. 10.4%) for ectomy-corrhizal composition and diversity than for the total or saprotrophic fungal communities. Species identity and dis-tance to the nearest large-diameter tree (≥ 40.2 cm) were better predictors of fungal richness than were the identity and distance to the nearest tree. Soil nutrients, topography, and tree species differentially influenced the composition and diversity of each fungal guild. Locally rare tree species had an outsized influence on fungal community richness. Conclusions: These results highlight that fungal guilds are differentially associated with the location, size, and species of aboveground trees. Large-diameter trees are implicated as drivers of belowground fungal diversity, particularly for ectomycorrhizal fungi.

Enduring legacy of coal mining on the fungal community in a High Arctic soil after five decades

Mineral extraction is known to affect soil fungi in polar environments,but it is unknown how long these effects persist.Here,by amplifying the internal transcribed spacer regions of rRNA genes in soil fungi,we compared soil fungal community in intact natural tundra with that in a nearby former coal mining area,abandoned 52 years previously,on Svalbard in the High Arctic.Compared with those in intact tundra,soils in the former mining area were more acidic and had lower plant coverage.Despite of similar diversity in the two areas,the fungal community was dominated by Basidiomycota in the intact tundra,but by Ascomycota in the former mining area.Ectomycorrhizal genera formed a major part of the tundra community,but were notably less abundant in the mining area.The principal variation among samples was soil pH.Surprisingly,network connectivity analysis indicated that the fungal community in the former mining area had greater network connectivity than that in the tundra area.Overall,the ecosystem in the former mining area has made only limited recovery towards the natural tundra state even after more than five decades.It is unclear whether the recovery of the fungal community is limited more by the low primary productivity,slow migration of fungi and plants,or slow changes in soil parameters.Our findings emphasize the susceptibility of polar ecosystems to disturbance,given their particularly slow recovery back towards the natural state.