Article
Soil Science
Sarah M. Emery, Lukas Bell-Dereske, Karen A. Stahlheber, Katherine L. Gross
Summary: This study investigated the impact of drought and nitrogen fertilization on AMF diversity in switchgrass monocultures, finding that drought had a positive effect on AMF species richness in fertilized plots and altered AMF community composition. Contrary to expectations, drought did not significantly impact AMF richness in unfertilized plots, but did reduce AMF root colonization in switchgrass.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Hui Xia, Chunguo Yang, Yan Liang, Zunzhen He, Yuqi Guo, Yuxuan Lang, Jie Wei, Xinbo Tian, Lijin Lin, Honghong Deng, Jin Wang, Xiulan Lv, Dong Liang
Summary: The combined application of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and melatonin has additive effects on improving drought tolerance in kiwifruit seedlings, promoting plant growth and alleviating drought damage.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Zhen Li, Na Wu, Ting Liu, Ming Tang
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the effects of dioecious plants and regions of different arid levels on fungal communities, mycorrhizal distribution, soil enzymatic activities, and nutrient contents. The study found that mycorrhizal distribution peaked at Chaka, which was contrary to the expected results. Gender had significant effects on fungal communities, with clear differences between genders. The key contributors in sample areas were found to be available P, available K, pH, ALP activity, ammonium N, EC, water content, and catalase activity.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Haiyang Zhang, Amber C. Churchill, Ian C. Anderson, Chioma Igwenagu, Sally A. Power, Jonathan M. Plett, Catriona A. Macdonald, Elise Pendall, Yolima Carrillo, Jeff R. Powell
Summary: This study assessed the variation in carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in symbiotic fungi and a host plant in response to experimental warming and drought. The results showed that climate change exacerbated fungal phosphorus accumulation and modified the composition of symbiotic fungal communities.
Article
Agronomy
Kadri Koorem, Rutger A. Wilschut, Carolin Weser, Wim H. van der Putten
Summary: The study found that soil communities from both original and new ranges have similar effects on the growth of range-expanding plants under conditioning and drought stress conditions. The impact of soil communities on plant growth increases after conditioning and under drought stress.
Article
Microbiology
Chloe Viotti, Cyrille Bach, Francois Maillard, Isabelle Ziegler-Devin, Sophie Mieszkin, Marc Buee
Summary: This study aimed to understand the dynamics of microbial ecological guilds in wood decomposition, with a focus on the effect of wood type. The research found contrasting bacterial and fungal succession dynamics between sapwood and heartwood, with some initial functional guilds persisting in heartwood throughout the experiment. The data also suggested a significant role of bacteria in the nitrogen cycle during wood decomposition.
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Siwei Mai, Han Mao, Yamin Jiang, Ting Huang, Qiu Yang, Guitong Xing, Xiaofang Wang, Huai Yang, Wenjie Liu
Summary: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have an important role in plant-soil interactions, but the dynamics of AMF community composition and activity remain unclear. This study used high throughput sequencing to study soil AMF community composition in a tropical forest ecosystem. The results showed significant differences in AMF community characteristics between shrubland and secondary forest ecosystems, but not between different stages of secondary forest recovery. Plant community dynamics and root biomass were found to be key factors in regulating soil AMF communities. This study provides new insights into AMF community dynamics and their driving factors, as well as expanding knowledge of their ecological value for tropical forest restoration.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Yidong Mi, Xue Bai, Xinru Li, Min Zhou, Xuesong Liu, Fanfan Wang, Hailei Su, Haiyan Chen, Yuan Wei
Summary: Remediation of Hg-contaminated soil using mycorrhizal technology is environmentally friendly. However, the lack of research on the composition of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in Hg-polluted soil hinders its biotechnological applications. This study sequenced the AMF communities in Hg mining areas and found that Glomeraceae was the dominant family. AMF diversity was influenced by soil Hg content, water content, and other soil properties.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Stavros D. Veresoglou, Leonie Gruenfeld, Magkdi Mola
Summary: Through three controlled experiments, researchers found that the environmental settings of habitat connectance and quality can influence the diversity and predictability of AMF fungi in plant roots. Although manipulating environmental parameters did not affect the diversity of AMF assemblages, mixing habitats and varying connectance did make the assemblages less predictable.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Pil U. Rasmussen, Nerea Abrego, Tomas Roslin, Maarja Opik, Siim-Kaarel Sepp, F. Guillaume Blanchet, Tea Huotari, Luisa W. Hugerth, Ayco J. M. Tack
Summary: This study investigates the distribution and diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi in the Arctic, an extreme environment. The results show that AM fungal presence increases with elevation and decreases with vegetation cover and active soil layer. The composition of AM fungi is jointly shaped by elevation and plant species identity. The study highlights the relatively species-rich and nonrandomly distributed diversity of AM fungi in the Arctic.
Article
Soil Science
Andreas Hagenbo, Josu G. Alday, Juan Martinez de Aragon, Carles Castano, Sergio De-Miguel, Jose Antonio Bonet
Summary: Soil fungi play a vital role in regulating ecosystem carbon balance and productivity. The biomass dynamics of fungi are influenced by environmental factors, such as soil chemical properties, microclimate, weather, and forest management. Nutrient availability and forest thinning have significant effects on the biomass of most fungal guilds.
BIOLOGY AND FERTILITY OF SOILS
(2022)
Article
Soil Science
Alena Blazkova, Jan Jansa, David Puschel, Miroslav Vosatka, Martina Janouskova
Summary: This study found that the proportions of different AM fungal taxa in communities can influence the benefits to host plants. A 'functionally optimized' community with naturally established ratios of AM fungal species was more beneficial for plant growth than artificially manipulated communities. The functional differences between the communities were related to the abundances of certain AM fungal species, highlighting the importance of species' abundances within AM fungal communities for promoting plant growth.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Cassandra M. Allsup, Richard A. Lankau, Ken N. Paige
Summary: This study demonstrated that abundance and composition of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in roots and soils of Ipomopsis aggregata are influenced by ungulate herbivory and water availability. Results showed that herbivory led to an increase in spore production, diversity of AMF taxa in roots, and a shift in AMF species composition in rhizosphere soils, with the impact varying based on water availability. These findings contribute to a better understanding of mycorrhizal function under changing climates.
Article
Ecology
Jacob R. Hopkins, Alison E. Bennett
Summary: Trait-based approaches in ecology are powerful tools for understanding how organisms interact with their environment. They are particularly effective in disturbance and community ecology contexts, such as studying how disturbances like prescribed fire and bison grazing impact mutualistic interactions between AM fungi and plant hosts. This study examined the effects of disturbance on AM fungal spore community composition and mutualisms, and found that selection for specific spore traits and changes in community composition were indicators of fire and grazing effects. These findings highlight the importance of trait-based approaches in clarifying belowground responses to disturbance and understanding organism-environment interactions.
Article
Ecology
Maria Del Mar Alguacil, Klaus Schlaeppi, Alvaro Lopez-Garcia, Marcel G. A. van der Heijden, Jose Ignacio Querejeta
Summary: A 4-year field experiment in a semiarid shrubland found that short-term climate manipulation had little impact on the composition and diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities, but changes in temperature and rainfall led to a significant decrease in some AMF families. These results provide insights into the conservation of soil biodiversity in dryland ecosystems facing climate change.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Laleh Amouzgar, Jamshid Ghorbani, Maryam Shokri, Rob H. Marrs, Josu G. Alday
Summary: Pteridium aquilinum is a widespread invasive species that often reduces biodiversity, crop yield, and economic value. A study in northern Iran found that the spread of P. aquilinum is not limited by land-use, elevation, or climate type. This study provides valuable information about the growth and phenological patterns of P. aquilinum in northern Iran.
LANDSCAPE AND ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Giada Centenaro, Sergio de Miguel, Laleh Amouzgar, Yasmine Pinuela, Deokjoo Son, Jose Antonio Bonet, Juan Martinez de Aragon, Svetlana Dashevskaya, Carles Castano, Josu G. Alday
Summary: Understorey vegetation plays a crucial role in the functioning of Mediterranean forest ecosystems, yet the patterns and drivers of understorey composition and diversity are not fully understood. This study examined the impact of silvicultural management, topography, soil fungal community composition, and soil properties on understorey community composition and diversity. Thinning intensity and topography were found to have the greatest influence on understorey species composition. The study also revealed a decrease in both richness and abundance of understorey species with increasing altitude, with thinned plots having higher species richness compared to control plots.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Ilgin Akpinar, Josu G. Alday, Emma Cox, H. A. McAllister, Michael G. Le Due, Robin J. Pakeman, Rob H. Marrs
Summary: Pteridium aquilinum is a problematic invasive species in the British uplands, and there is a lack of knowledge on long-term weed control and land improvement. The effects of six control treatments on P. aquilinum were assessed at two acid-grassland sites in Scotland. The results showed different treatment effects for P. aquilinum-performance, agricultural improvement, and species richness in the two experiments.
ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Carles Castano, Sara Hallin, Dagmar Egelkraut, Bjorn D. Lindahl, Johan Olofsson, Karina Engelbrecht Clemmensen
Summary: Global vegetation regimes have different dynamics in belowground carbon (C) and nitrogen (N), but it is challenging to separate large-scale climatic controls from intrinsic plant-soil-microbial feedback effects. In local gradients with similar pedo-climatic conditions, the effects of plant-microbial feedbacks can be isolated from large-scale drivers. In a subarctic-alpine mosaic, contrasting plant-microbial feedbacks contribute to diverging soil C : N ratios at the landscape scale.
Article
Forestry
Josu G. G. Alday, Leonor Calvo, Jose Luis Fernandez Rodriguez, Luz Valbuena
Summary: This study characterizes the plant species composition and soil seed bank after prescribed burning in three heathlands in the southern part of Spain, to understand the regenerative capacity and conservation of these communities. The results suggest that the soil seed bank after wildfires can restore the grassland vegetation in these habitats, indicating a high restoration potential. Our study also highlights the recovery of key species such as Calluna and Erica in the short term after burning, which is crucial for maintaining the community structure of heathlands.
Article
Soil Science
Carles Castano, Estefania Suarez-Vidal, Rafael Zas, Jose Antonio Bonet, Jonas Oliva, Luis Sampedro
Summary: This study investigated the effects of drought on soil fungal communities and explored the potential fungal traits related to drought resistance. The results showed that the abundance of ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi in plants subjected to drought was lower compared to well-watered plants. Most ECM taxa in drought-surviving plants had long exploration types and formed rhizomorphs and hydrophobic mycelia. This study is of great importance for understanding the role of fungi in plant adaptation to drought.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Patrick Huber, Mikko Kurttila, Teppo Hujala, Bernhard Wolfslehner, Mariola Sanchez-Gonzalez, Maria Pasalodos-Tato, Sergio de-Miguel, Jose Antonio Bonet, Marlene Marques, Jose G. Borges, Cristian Mihai Enescu, Lucian Dinca, Harald Vacik
Summary: The forest-based sector plays a significant role in supporting Europe's transition to a more integrated and bio-based circular economy. Non-wood forest products (NWFPs) have great potential to diversify the forest bioeconomy, providing additional income and ecological benefits. However, there is a lack of attention and knowledge regarding the socio-economic relevance of NWFPs, which hinders forest-based decision making. This study investigates the future potential of 38 NWFPs through multi-criteria analysis and highlights the opportunities for forest owners to focus on the joint production of wood and non-wood resources.
Article
Forestry
Maitane Erdozain, Jose Antonio Bonet, Juan Martinez de Aragon, Sergio de-Miguel
Summary: There is a growing concern about widespread forest regeneration failure due to changing climate and disturbance regimes. This study evaluated the effect of thinning as a forest management strategy on the natural regeneration of Maritime pine stands in Mediterranean areas and found that thinning had a positive effect on the establishment, survival, and early growth of seedlings, especially under drier and warmer conditions.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Angel Ponce, Josu G. Alday, Jose Antonio Bonet, Juan Martinez de Aragon, Sergio de-Miguel
Summary: This study examines the interannual changes in sporocarp productivity, diversity, and community composition of Pinus uncinata over 5 years, and identifies the possible relationships with weather and soil physicochemical characteristics. The study highlights the importance of climate and soil properties in shaping fungal fruiting patterns and emphasizes the vulnerability of P. uncinata ecosystems to climate change impacts.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
J. G. Alday, E. S. Cox, V. M. Santana, H. Lee, J. Ghorbani, G. Milligan, H. A. McAllister, R. J. Pakeman, M. G. Le Duc, R. H. Marrs
Summary: There is a need to develop management strategies to control dominant weeds and restore natural communities. A 17-year experiment was conducted to compare the effects of different control treatments on dense Pteridium aquilinum. The results showed that cutting and herbicide treatments were effective in reducing P. aquilinum, but bruising treatment was not. In the second phase of the experiment, P. aquilinum continued to increase in all treated plots, but cutting and herbicide treatments maintained lower P. aquilinum performance for nine years. Rating: 8/10
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Elena Gorriz-Mifsud, Laura Secco, Riccardo Da Re, Elena Pisani, Jose Antonio Bonet
Summary: The aim of this study is to analyze the influence of local ecological knowledge on the norms for using nearby natural resources in rural communities. A method to analyze this form of cognitive social capital is proposed using a mushroom picking permit as an application. The study was conducted in the Poblet forest in Catalonia, Spain. The results show that there are similar perceptions between local pickers and decision-makers regarding mushroom-related problems, which aligns with the design features of the picking permit.
Article
Plant Sciences
Dora Straus, Miguel Angel Redondo, Carles Castano, Jaanis Juhanson, Karina E. Clemmensen, Sara Hallin, Jonas Oliva
Summary: This study examines the influence of root-associated microbiota on the growth of boreal tree species. The observed plant-soil feedbacks mirror the successional patterns found in boreal forests, suggesting a possible contribution of soil microbiota to the successional progression. Species-specific ectomycorrhizal fungi and a few bacteria rather than fungal plant pathogens or oomycetes seem to drive the feedbacks by promoting seedling growth in heterospecific soils.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2023)
