Diversity, root tip vitality and soil-driven variations of Ectomycorrhizal communities in Pinus cembra forests from alpine treelines

Abstract

Background and aims: Swiss stone pine (Pinus cembra) is dominant tree species in the treeline ecotone of the European Alps. Ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungi are often used in treeline reestablishment with Pinus cembra, yet our understanding of natural EM communities is limited. Methods: In three alpine regions of the Austrian Alps on both silicate and calcareous bedrocks we determined the EM communities on roots of Pinus cembra and related these to soil chemical properties. Results: The taxa composition of the EM communities was similar for the different sites, but the structure in terms of abundance varied greatly. The community of the calcareous sites differed from the silicate sites, and correlated to the level of exchangeable Ca. Similarly, on the silicate sites the levels of total Al and Fe influenced the community structure. Conclusion: The composition of EM fungal communities of Pinus cembra is strongly influenced by soil factors.