Distribution of ectomycorrhizas and ectomycorrhizal fungal inoculum with soil depth in a birch forest

Abstract

The distributions of ectomycorrhizas and ectomycorrhizal fungal inoculum with soil depth (0–45 cm) were determined in a 40-year-oldBetula platyphylla var.japonica forest. Mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal fine roots were measured in each soil core sample that was collected at soil depths of 0–5, 5–10, 10–15, 15–20, 20–25, 30–35, and 40–45 cm. The ectomycorrhizas were mainly distributed (>50%) in the top soil (0–5 cm) of organic forest floor horizons. Below 5 cm the quantity of ectomycorrhizas decreased sharply. The percentage of fine roots which were ectomycorrhizal gradually declined with the depth of soil. The ectomycorrhizal fungal inoculum was evaluated by a bioassay method, measuring the lengths of the entire root system and of the ectomycorrhizal roots of birch seedlings planted in each soil sample. The soil samples were collected from 0–5, 10–15, 20–25, 30–35, and 40–45 cm depths of the soil profile. Ectomycorrhizal formation on birch seedling roots in the bioassay was high in both the soil depth intervals 0–5 cm and 10–15 cm, while the amount was lower in the soil depth interval from 20–45 cm. The results of these investigations show that the amount of the ectomycorrhizas in soil, and the ectomycorrhizal fungal inoculum potential as determined by bioassay, are not always consistent with each other.