Segregation of nitrogen use between ammonium and nitrate of ectomycorrhizas and beech trees

Here, we characterized nitrogen (N) uptake of beech (Fagus sylvatica) and their associated ectomycorrhizal (EM) communities from NH₄⁺ and NO₃^- . We hypothesized that a proportional fraction of ectomycorrhizal N uptake is transferred to the host, thereby resulting in the same uptake patterns of plants and their associated mycorrhizal communities. ¹⁵ N uptake was studied under various field conditions after short-term and long-term exposure to a pulse of equimolar NH₄⁺ and NO₃^- concentrations, where one compound was replaced by ¹⁵ N. In native EM assemblages, long-term and short-term ¹⁵ N uptake from NH₄⁺ was higher than that from NO₃^- , regardless of season, water availability and site exposure, whereas in beech long-term ¹⁵ N uptake from NO₃^- was higher than that from NH₄⁺ . The transfer rates from the EM to beech were lower for ¹⁵ N from NH₄⁺ than from NO₃^- . ¹⁵ N content in EM was correlated with ¹⁵ N uptake of the host for ¹⁵ NH₄⁺ , but not for ¹⁵ NO₃^- -derived N. These findings suggest stronger control of the EM assemblage on N provision to the host from NH₄⁺ than from NO₃^- . Different host and EM accumulation patterns for inorganic N will result in complementary resource use, which might be advantageous in forest ecosystems with limited N availability.