Potassium fertilization affects the distribution of fine roots but does not change ectomycorrhizal community structure

Published Date
September 2016, Volume 73, Issue 3, pp 691–702

Title 

Potassium fertilization affects the distribution of fine roots but does not change ectomycorrhizal community structure

• Author 

• Lixia Wang, 
• Klaus Katzensteiner, 
• Helmut Schume, 
• Marcela Van Loo, 
• Douglas L. Godbold

Original Paper

First Online: 

20 May 2016

DOI: 10.1007/s13595-016-0556-3

Cite this article as: 

Wang, L., Katzensteiner, K., Schume, H. et al. Annals of Forest Science (2016) 73: 691. doi:10.1007/s13595-016-0556-3

Abstract

Key message

K fertilization led to a significant increase in fine root biomass, fine root length, and root tip number in the mineral soil layer but does not affect the ecomycorrhizal community structure in the organic horizon.

Context

Potassium (K) deficiency is common in Picea abies in the European Alps. Fertilization with other nutrients often influences fine root biomass and ectomycorrhizas, but less is known about the effects of K-fertilization.

Aims

The aim of the investigation was to determine the effects of K-fertilization on stem growth and fine root biomass of Picea abies, as well as the influence on ectomycorrhizal community structure of the fine roots.

Methods

Eight years after a single fertilization of K-deficient Picea abies with 200 kg K ha−1, fine roots were collected from 7 control and 6 K-fertilized plots. Fine root biomass and morphology were determined. The identification of ectomycorrhizal taxa was determined by morphotyping and by amplification of the internal transcribed spacer region of the nuclear ribosomal DNA.

Results

K-fertilization did not affect the amount of fine root biomass and ectomycorrhizal community structure in the Oi + Oe and Oa layers but led to a significant increase in fine root biomass, fine root length, and root tip number in the mineral soil layer.

Conclusion

An increase in growth due to K-fertilization leads to great exploration of the mineral soil by fine roots but does not affect the ectomycorrhizal community structure in the organic horizons.

Keywords

Picea abiesRadial growthPotassiumDiversityAbundance

Handling Editor: Ana Rincon

Contribution of the co-authors

Lixia Wang carried out the research, determined root biomass, identified ectomycorrhizas, and co-wrote the manuscript.

Klaus Katzensteiner designed and instigated the K-fertilization study, worked on drafts of the manuscript, and advised on statistics.

Helmut Schume carried out measurements of radial growth and commented on the manuscript.

Marcela van Loo was involved in molecular determination of ectomycorrhizas and revised the manuscript.

Douglas Godbold lead the research on root and mycorrhizas, supervised Lixia Wang, and co-wrote the manuscript.

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