Article
Plant Sciences
Margaux Boeraeve, Teun Everts, Kris Vandekerkhove, Luc De Keersmaeker, Peter Van de Kerckhove, Hans Jacquemyn
Summary: The study found that the ectomycorrhizal fungal communities in the roots of European beech seedlings and saplings differed significantly between soil, seedlings, and saplings, with partner turnover in community composition observed as the trees aged.
Article
Plant Sciences
Anis Mahmud Khokon, Dennis Janz, Andrea Polle
Summary: The roots of forest trees are inhabited by a variety of ectomycorrhizal fungal species, which have different abilities in acquiring nitrogen. This study found that there is a variation in nitrogen enrichment in ectomycorrhizal root tips, with higher enrichment of NH4+ than NO3-. Increasing fungal diversity is associated with increased translocation of nitrogen into the upper parts of the root system. These results indicate that root nitrogen acquisition is dependent on the community-level traits of ectomycorrhizal fungi and emphasize the importance of ectomycorrhizal diversity for tree nitrogen nutrition.
Article
Plant Sciences
Marta Correia, Josep Maria Espelta, Jose A. Morillo, Joan Pino, Susana Rodriguez-Echeverria
Summary: The study indicates that past land use history has impacted soil properties and the symbiosis between ECM fungi and beech trees in regenerating beech forests.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Hanna Stepniewska, Robert Jankowiak, Piotr Bilanski, Georg Hausner
Summary: Members of the genus Fusarium and related genera play important roles in many ecosystems worldwide, but their impact on the structure of beech litter communities and natural regeneration of European beech is not well understood. The study found that Fusarium species richness was highest in old-growth beech-dominated forests, while abundances were higher in managed beech stands, suggesting a potential negative impact on natural beech regeneration. Pathogenicity tests confirmed that certain Fusarium species isolated from beechnuts and beech germinants could cause rot, further supporting the hypothesis of their negative role in the natural regeneration of beech.
Article
Forestry
Petra D'Odorico, Meredith C. Schuman, Mirjam Kurz, Katalin Csillery
Summary: This study demonstrates the potential of leaf spectroscopy for discriminating and characterizing different subspecies of beech trees. By measuring leaf spectral reflectance, morphological and biochemical traits, the researchers found that Oriental beech has higher lignin and nitrogen content compared to European beech. The model based on short-wave infrared region spectra showed the highest accuracy in distinguishing Oriental from European beech.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Biology
Markus Pfenninger, Friederike Reuss, Angelika Kiebler, Philipp Schoennenbeck, Cosima Caliendo, Susanne Gerber, Berardino Cocchiararo, Sabrina Reuter, Nico Bluethgen, Karsten Mody, Bagdevi Mishra, Miklos Balint, Marco Thines, Barbara Feldmeyer
Summary: In the face of increasing drought conditions in Central Europe due to global climate change, a study on European beeches found that drought resistance is influenced by genotype rather than environment, with specific genetic markers identified through SNP detection. This indicates that drought resistance in European beech is a moderately polygenic trait that can be enhanced through natural selection, management, and breeding.
Article
Ecology
Jasmin Fetzer, Emmanuel Frossard, Klaus Kaiser, Frank Hagedorn
Summary: Leaching is an important pathway for phosphorus and nitrogen losses from forest ecosystems. A study conducted at European beech sites found that concentrations of dissolved organic and inorganic phosphorus and nitrogen were highest in summer and lowest in winter. Fertilization increased the leaching fluxes of phosphorus and nitrogen, but the effects varied at sites with contrasting phosphorus status.
Article
Ecology
Anita Nussbaumer, Arthur Gessler, Sue Benham, Bruno de Cinti, Sophia Etzold, Morten Ingerslev, Frank Jacob, Francois Lebourgeois, Tom Levanic, Hrvoje Marjanovic, Manuel Nicolas, Masa Zorana Ostrogovic Sever, Tibor Priwitzer, Pasi Rautio, Peter Roskams, Tanja G. M. Sanders, Maria Schmitt, Vit Sramek, Anne Thimonier, Liisa Ukonmaanaho, Arne Verstraeten, Lars Vesterdal, Markus Wagner, Peter Waldner, Andreas Rigling
Summary: The research indicates that resource allocation in plants is influenced during mast years, with different species exhibiting varying strategies in response to resource dynamics. European beech accumulated resources before mast years and shifted resources to reproductive tissues during mast years, while oak species showed reduced stem growth after mast years. Leaf carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus concentrations were affected differently in response to fruit production among species.
FRONTIERS IN FORESTS AND GLOBAL CHANGE
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Natalia Wojciechowska, Agnieszka Bagniewska-Zadworna, Julia Minicka, Kornel M. Michalak, Ewa M. Kalemba
Summary: Beech seeds are irregularly produced and require long-term storage; methionine oxidation can reduce seed viability but can be reversed by methionine sulfoxide reductases; MsrB1 and MsrB2 have different abundances and locations in beech seeds, with decreasing levels during long-term storage.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Wojciech Kraj, Artur Slepaczuk
Summary: Common beech can adapt to different light conditions, and leaves grown in the sun have better morphological and biochemical characteristics compared to shade leaves. Changes in oxidative stress and senescence induction are influenced by light availability.
Article
Forestry
Wojciech Kraj, Marcin Zarek
Summary: The study revealed that tree populations at higher altitudes experience oxidative stress early in the leaf senescence process, showing higher antioxidant system activity. This allows high-altitude populations to efficiently remobilize nitrogen compounds, protect trees from nitrogen loss, and prepare them for winter dormancy.
Article
Microbiology
Gitta Jutta Langer, Johanna Busskamp
Summary: This study examined filamentous fungi associated with woody tissues of European Beech and their impact on tree health. Various fungal strains were found to potentially harm the health of beech trees, with Botryosphaeria corticola identified as a particularly virulent pathogen. The research suggests that under conditions of climate change, Botryosphaeriaceae fungi could play a significant role in the disease progression of Vitality loss of Beech.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Giorgi Mamadashvili, Antoine Brin, Claus Baessler, Vasyl Chumak, Maksym Chumak, Valeriia Deidus, Lars Droessler, Celine Emberger, Kostadin B. Georgiev, Tigran Ghrejyan, Martin M. Gossner, Ruslan Hleb, Razieh Rafiei-Jahed, Mark Kalashian, Ivan Kambarov, Gayane Karagyan, Joni Kevlishvili, Zviad Khutsishvili, Daniel Kraus, Thibault Lachat, Ludwig Lettenmaier, Meri Mazmanyan, Oliver Mitesser, Peter I. Petrov, Nicolas Roth, Levan Tabunidze, Laurent Larrieu, Joerg Mueller
Summary: A systematic analysis was conducted on tree-related microhabitats in beech forests, revealing the influences of tree species and elevation on microhabitat composition. The study highlights the importance of conserving old-growth forests due to their higher microhabitat diversity.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Anna Neycken, Michel Scheggia, Christof Bigler, Mathieu Levesque
Summary: European beech trees have been severely affected by the exceptional 2018 drought and subsequent dry years. Some trees showed severe signs of crown dieback or died, while others showed no or minor damage. The reasons for this variation in vulnerability are not well understood. This study analyzed the long-term growth trends, neighborhood composition, early-warning signals, and growth responses to past severe droughts of co-occurring healthy and declining beech trees in Switzerland. The findings suggest that declining trees had lower growth rates even before the dieback occurred, indicating predisposing signs for crown dieback.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Robert Jandl, Cecilie Birgitte Foldal, Thomas Ledermann, Georg Kindermann
Summary: This study evaluates the role and habitat expansion of European beech in Central Europe under climate change. The results show that the habitat of beech may significantly increase in the next 60 years, but vulnerability to drought and pathogens are limiting factors. The future habitat will depend on factors such as forest resilience, market opportunities, and adaptive forest management.
Article
Soil Science
Nannan Wang, Lei Li, Michael Dannenmann, Yukun Luo, Xiaohui Xu, Bingwei Zhang, Shiping Chen, Kuanhu Dong, Jianhui Huang, Xiaofeng Xu, Changhui Wang
Summary: The study highlights the importance of precipitation changes in regulating nitrogen bioavailability in arid and semi-arid grassland ecosystems, mainly through controlling gross ammonification and gross nitrification. Increased precipitation significantly enhances gross nitrogen turnover rates, while decreased precipitation leads to suppression.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tatiana F. Rittl, Dener M. S. Oliveira, Luiza P. Canisares, Edvaldo Sagrilo, Klaus Butterbach-Bahl, Michael Dannenmann, Carlos E. P. Cerri
Summary: Biochar application has been suggested as a strategy to decrease nitrous oxide emissions from agricultural soils and increase soil carbon stocks, especially in tropical regions. Research shows that high rates of biochar application can suppress the warming-induced stimulation of N2O emissions, potentially enhancing the mitigation potential of biochar for N2O emissions in the context of climate change.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Elisabeth Ramm, Chunyan Liu, Per Ambus, Klaus Butterbach-Bahl, Bin Hu, Pertti J. Martikainen, Maija E. Marushchak, Carsten W. Mueller, Heinz Rennenberg, Michael Schloter, Henri M. P. Siljanen, Carolina Voigt, Christian Werner, Christina Biasi, Michael Dannenmann
Summary: This study shows that permafrost-affected soils exhibit active mineral nitrogen cycling, similar to temperate and tropical systems. This finding challenges the existing paradigm and suggests larger permafrost N climate feedbacks than previously assumed.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Leila Arab, Stefan Seegmueller, Jurgen Kreuzwieser, Monika Eiblmeier, Michael Dannenmann, Heinz Rennenberg
Summary: Sessile oak leaves exhibit a high degree of plasticity in response to atmospheric and pedospheric conditions, showing significant differences in various foliar traits between wet and dry weather conditions. This suggests that sessile oak has a high potential to adapt to future climate change and growth conditions.
TREES-STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Oleksandra Kuchma, Jessica Rebola-Lichtenberg, Dennis Janz, Konstantin V. Krutovsky, Christian Ammer, Andrea Polle, Oliver Gailing
Summary: Mixed cropping in short rotation coppice can replace monocultures. RNA sequencing was used to monitor the gene expression of poplar under mixed and pure cultivations. Black locust and the abiotic environment exerted strong competition pressure on poplar. Shading effects and water competition influenced the growth and gene expression in mixed stands.
Article
Agronomy
Aisjah R. Ryadin, Dennis Janz, Dominik Schneider, Aiyen Tjoa, Bambang Irawan, Rolf Daniel, Andrea Polle
Summary: The study found that reduced fertilizer application and weeding can potentially re-wire critical constituents of the soil-plant food webs. However, these changes did not significantly affect the composition of the whole root-associated community.
Article
Microbiology
Anis Mahmud Khokon, Dominik Schneider, Rolf Daniel, Andrea Polle
Summary: The study investigated the vertical differentiation of root-associated fungi in temperate forests, revealing regional differences in fungal composition influenced by habitat conditions. Symbiotrophic fungi showed higher relative abundances in mineral soil, while saprotrophic fungi were more abundant in organic soil. These results suggest that RAF assembly involves niche partitioning at the rank of fungal orders, with flexible and territorial habitat colonization strategies by different fungal taxa.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Prasath Balaji Sivaprakasam Padmanaban, Maaria Rosenkranz, Peiyuan Zhu, Moritz Kaling, Anna Schmidt, Philippe Schmitt-Kopplin, Andrea Polle, Joerg-Peter Schnitzler
Summary: This study shows that mycorrhization affects the metabolome of the whole plant and may influence its interactions with other organisms. The presence of mycorrhizal fungi leads to metabolic adjustments in roots and leaves, particularly when the plant is infested with herbivores. The indirect interaction between herbivores and mycorrhizal fungi through a shared host plant highlights the importance of a community approach in chemical ecology.
Article
Soil Science
Mirella Schreiber, Elpida Bazaios, Barbara Stroebel, Benjamin Wolf, Ulrike Ostler, Rainer Gasche, Marcus Schlingmann, Ralf Kiese, Michael Dannenmann
Summary: Low nitrogen use efficiency in broadcast slurry application leads to various environmentally harmful effects, such as nutrient losses, air and water pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and soil nitrogen mining. This study tested alternative slurry acidification and injection techniques and found that acidification reduced nitrogen losses and increased fertilizer use efficiency, while injection increased soil organic nitrogen formation. However, these alternative techniques are still insufficient in preventing soil nitrogen mining.
NUTRIENT CYCLING IN AGROECOSYSTEMS
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Elisabeth Ramm, Chunyan Liu, Carsten W. Mueller, Silvia Gschwendtner, Hongyu Yue, Xianwei Wang, Juliane Bachmann, Joost A. Bohnhoff, Ulrike Ostler, Michael Schloter, Heinz Rennenberg, Michael Dannenmann
Summary: A better understanding of the nitrogen (N) cycle in permafrost ecosystems is needed for predicting permafrost N climate feedbacks. This study characterized and quantified soil organic matter and microbial processes in boreal permafrost ecosystems, revealing that lowland peatland soils have higher soil organic carbon and total nitrogen than upland forest soils. The study also found that deeper soil layers contain more recalcitrant organic matter, while upper peat horizons contain more bioavailable organic matter. Additionally, the study showed that the rates of ammonification and nitrification decreased with increasing sampling depth.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Nevenka Celepirovic, Sanja Bogunovic, Aikaterini Dounavi, Florian Netzer, Monika Eiblmeier, Michael Dannenmann, Stephanie Rehschuh, Heinz Rennenberg, Mladen Ivankovic
Summary: This study characterized the physiological responses of Croatian beech saplings to experimentally applied water deprivation, finding that phosphorus availability in the soil rather than climatic conditions played a more significant role in controlling the response of beech saplings to water deprivation.
Article
Forestry
Fengli Yang, Baoguo Du, Tim Burzlaff, Shourav Dutta, Michael Dannenmann, Xueying Quan, Daniel Maurer, Heinz Rennenberg
Summary: This study analyzed the drought tolerance and memory effects of European beech and silver fir seedlings in mixed cultivation. The results showed that drought hardening enhanced biomass accumulation in beech but had no impact on fir growth. The study also found that previous-year drought hardening led to decreased nutrient contents in beech leaves and fir needles. However, the number of interspecific neighbors did not significantly affect biomass or nutrient contents in the seedlings.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Leila Arab, Yasutomo Hoshika, Elena Paoletti, Philip J. White, Michael Dannenmann, Heike Mueller, Peter Ache, Rainer Hedrich, Saleh Alfarraj, Ghada Albasher, Heinz Rennenberg
Summary: Chronic ozone exposure selectively disrupts metabolic processes in the roots rather than the shoot, affecting mineral uptake and partitioning between roots and shoots. However, there were no significant changes in total carbon and nitrogen concentrations and their partitioning between different metabolic pools. The effects of chronic ozone exposure on mineral acquisition and partitioning between leaves and roots are discussed.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Judy Simon
Summary: When competing for nitrogen, organic N is more important than inorganic N for most tree species.
TREES-STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Elisabeth Ramm, Per Lennart Ambus, Silvia Gschwendtner, Chunyan Liu, Michael Schloter, Michael Dannenmann
Summary: Arctic tundra fires have been increasing in extent, frequency, and intensity, which can have significant impacts on soil nutrient cycling and permafrost ecosystem functioning. This study investigated the effects of low and high-intensity fires on the soil microbiome involved in nutrient cycling in permafrost-affected soil. The results showed that fire intensity had a significant influence on the abundance of microbial groups involved in nitrogen and phosphorus turnover.