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Development, persistence and regeneration of foraging ectomycorrhizal mycelial systems in soil microcosms

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Abstract

Development of extraradical mycelia of two strains each of Paxillus involutus and Suillus bovinus in ectomycorrhizal association with Pinus sylvestris seedlings was studied in two dimensions in non-sterile soil microcosms. There were significant inter- and intra-specific differences in extraradical mycelial growth and morphology. The mycelial systems of both strains of P. involutus were diffuse and extended more rapidly than those of S. bovinus. Depending on the strain, P. involutus mycelia were either highly plane filled, with high mass fractal dimension (a measure of space filling) or sparse, low mass fractal dimension systems. Older mycelial systems persisted as linear cords interlinking ectomycorrhizal tips. S. bovinus produced either a mycelium with a mixture of mycelial cords and diffuse fans that rapidly filled explorable area, or a predominately corded mycelium of minimal area cover. In the soil microcosms, mass fractal dimension and mycelial cover tended to increase with time, mycelia encountering litter having significantly greater values. Results are discussed in terms of the ecology of these fungi, their foraging activities and functional importance in forest ecosystems.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Irene Johnson for technical assistance and Dr. Jesus Perez-Moreno for Suillus bovinus strain 1. We also thank the Natural Environment Research Council for funding this project (GR3/1059)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield , S10 2TN, UK

    Damian P. Donnelly & Jonathan R. Leake

  2. Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Park Place, Cardiff , CF10 3TL, UK

    Damian P. Donnelly & Lynne Boddy

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  1. Damian P. Donnelly
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  2. Lynne Boddy
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  3. Jonathan R. Leake
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Correspondence to Damian P. Donnelly.

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Donnelly, D.P., Boddy, L. & Leake, J.R. Development, persistence and regeneration of foraging ectomycorrhizal mycelial systems in soil microcosms. Mycorrhiza 14, 37–45 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00572-003-0275-0

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