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Inoculation of ectomycorrhizal fungi contributes to the survival of tree seedlings in a copper mine tailing

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Journal of Forest Research

Abstract

To advance our understanding of the effects of inoculation with ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) on seedling colonization in mine wastelands, we conducted a field experiment in a copper tailing. Six-month-old seedlings of Japanese red pine (Pinus densiflora) and oak (Quercus variabilis) separately inoculated with three EMF species (Pisolithus sp., Cenococcum geophilum, Laccaria laccata) were transplanted to the copper tailing. The survival rates of tree seedlings were monitored monthly, and growth (biomass and height), contents of nutrients and heavy metals (K, P, Ca, Mg, Cu, Zn), and mycorrhizal infection rates of seedlings were determined 6 months after planting. Oak seedlings exhibited higher survival rates than pine seedlings after 6 months of growth on the tailing. EMF inoculations of pine seedlings significantly enhanced their survival, growth, and nutrient uptake. In contrast, EMF inoculations of oak seedlings improved growth only in terms of biomass. Additionally, EMF inoculation caused pine seedlings to accumulate more Cu and Zn in roots compared to non-inoculated seedlings, whereas inoculation inhibited the accumulation of heavy metals in shoots. However, similar results were not observed in oak seedlings. Observations of roots indicated that the rates of mycorrhizal infection of both tree species had dramatically declined at harvest time. In conclusion, ectomycorrhizal symbioses can improve the survival and performance of pine seedlings in mine tailings. The present study provided direct evidence of the importance of EMF inoculation of seedlings to the reforestation of mine wastelands.

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Acknowledgments

This study received grants-in-aid from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Sciences (20380087).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Asian Natural Environmental Science Center, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-8 Midoricho, Nishitokyo, Tokyo, 188-0002, Japan

    Kun Zong & Chunlan Lian

  2. College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China

    Jian Huang

  3. Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, 277-8563, Japan

    Kazuhide Nara

  4. College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China

    Yahua Chen & Zhenguo Shen

Authors
  1. Kun Zong
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  2. Jian Huang
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  3. Kazuhide Nara
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  4. Yahua Chen
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  5. Zhenguo Shen
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  6. Chunlan Lian
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Correspondence to Chunlan Lian.

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Zong, K., Huang, J., Nara, K. et al. Inoculation of ectomycorrhizal fungi contributes to the survival of tree seedlings in a copper mine tailing. J For Res 20, 493–500 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10310-015-0506-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10310-015-0506-1

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