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Proximity to an old-growth forest edge and ectomycorrhizal tree islands enhance ectomycorrhizal fungal colonization of Betula lenta L. (black birch) seedlings in secondary forest soils

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Abstract

Aims

The few remaining old-growth forests in the northeastern United States are often comprised of ectomycorrhizal (EM) tree-dominated patches surrounded by arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) tree-dominated secondary forests. We examined how (1) distance from old growth and tree neighborhood composition influenced EM colonization, fungal richness, and fungal community composition of Betula lenta L. (black birch) seedlings, a common EM tree that colonizes abandoned agricultural fields, and (2) potential effects of EM fungal genera on seedling physiological performance.

Methods

We sampled soils and tree composition from the edge of an EM-dominated old-growth forest into an adjacent AM-dominated secondary forest. We used soils to grow black birch seedlings in a growth chamber bioassay. We measured seedling EM colonization and investigated effects of EM fungi and soil characteristics on seedling physiological performance.

Results

We identified 20 EM fungal species and found decreases in EM colonization and fungal richness with distance from old growth, with many taxa present only near the edge. Neighborhood EM tree abundance best explained EM colonization while distance interacted with EM tree basal area to best explain EM fungal richness of seedlings. Soils from neighborhoods lacking EM trees resulted in sparse EM colonization of seedlings. We found no clear effects of EM fungal genera on seedling performance, but we detected a slight decrease in seedling photosynthetic rate with distance from old growth.

Conclusions

Old-growth forests can be reservoirs of EM fungi, and EM tree patches can function as localized inoculum sources in AM-dominated secondary forests, potentially facilitating EM tree establishment.

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Data availability

The datasets generated and analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the staff at the Mianus River Gorge for providing logistical help with this project. Allison Lyubomirskaya provided invaluable help with collection of soils and neighborhood tree data. We thank Dr. Stephen Stehman for his assistance with experimental design as well as Dr. Jamie Lamit and Dr. Andrew Newhouse for reviewing previous versions of the manuscript.

Funding

Funding was provided by a Mianus River Gorge Research Assistant Program Fellowship, Edna Bailey Sussman Foundation internship, SUNY ESF Graduate Student Association research grant, and a Lowe-Wilcox scholarship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Biology, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY, USA

    Andrew M. Cortese, Martin Dovciak, Jonathan B. Cohen & Thomas R. Horton

  2. Department of Sustainable Resources Management, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY, USA

    John E. Drake

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Contributions

Andrew M. Cortese designed and implemented field protocols and set up the growth chamber bioassay. Andrew M. Cortese and John E. Drake conducted physiological measurements of seedlings. Andrew M. Cortese, John E. Drake, Martin Dovciak, and Jonathan B. Cohen contributed to data analysis. Andrew M. Cortese and Thomas R. Horton conducted molecular identification of EM fungi from seedlings. All authors contributed to writing and editing all versions of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Andrew M. Cortese.

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Cortese, A.M., Drake, J.E., Dovciak, M. et al. Proximity to an old-growth forest edge and ectomycorrhizal tree islands enhance ectomycorrhizal fungal colonization of Betula lenta L. (black birch) seedlings in secondary forest soils. Plant Soil 493, 391–405 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-023-06237-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-023-06237-7

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