Mycorrhizal type and tree diversity affect foliar elemental pools and stoichiometry

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Elisabeth Böhnisch - , German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle—Jena—Leipzig, Leipzig University (Author)
  • Evgenia Blagodatskaya - , Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (Author)
  • Rodolfo Dirzo - , Stanford University (Author)
  • Olga Ferlian - , German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle—Jena—Leipzig, Leipzig University (Author)
  • Andreas Fichtner - , Leuphana University of Lüneburg (Author)
  • Yuanyuan Huang - , German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle—Jena—Leipzig, Leipzig University (Author)
  • Samuel J. Leonhard - , Stanford University (Author)
  • Fernando T. Maestre - , King Abdulaziz University (Author)
  • Goddert von Oheimb - , Chair of Biodiversity and Nature Conservation, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle—Jena—Leipzig (Author)
  • Tama Ray - , Chair of Biodiversity and Nature Conservation, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle—Jena—Leipzig (Author)
  • Nico Eisenhauer - , German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle—Jena—Leipzig, Leipzig University (Author)

Abstract

Species-specific differences in nutrient acquisition strategies allow for complementary use of resources among plants in mixtures, which may be further shaped by mycorrhizal associations. However, empirical evidence of this potential role of mycorrhizae is scarce, particularly for tree communities. We investigated the impact of tree species richness and mycorrhizal types, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AM) and ectomycorrhizal fungi (EM), on above- and belowground carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) dynamics. Soil and soil microbial biomass elemental dynamics showed weak responses to tree species richness and none to mycorrhizal type. However, foliar elemental concentrations, stoichiometry, and pools were significantly affected by both treatments. Tree species richness increased foliar C and P pools but not N pools. Additive partitioning analyses showed that net biodiversity effects of foliar C, N, P pools in EM tree communities were driven by selection effects, but in mixtures of both mycorrhizal types by complementarity effects. Furthermore, increased tree species richness reduced soil nitrate availability, over 2 yr. Our results indicate that positive effects of tree diversity on aboveground nutrient storage are mediated by complementary mycorrhizal strategies and highlight the importance of using mixtures composed of tree species with different types of mycorrhizae to achieve more multifunctional afforestation.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1614 - 1629
Number of pages16
JournalNew Phytologist
Volume242
Issue number4
Publication statusPublished - 9 Apr 2024
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

Scopus 85190414655
ORCID /0000-0001-7408-425X/work/160478396
Mendeley 36160587-2562-3dbe-9a0b-856184264ff3

Keywords

Keywords

  • MyDiv, biodiversity effects, nutrient dynamics, tree species richness, plant–soil interaction, mycorrhizal fungi

Library keywords