Nitrogen availability and colonization by mycorrhizal fungi correlate with nitrogen isotope patterns in plants

•  Nitrogen isotope (δ ¹⁵ N) patterns in plants may provide insight into plant N dynamics. Here, two analytical models of N-isotope cycling in plants and mycorrhizal fungi were tested, as dominant plants in many forest ecosystems obtain most of their N through intereactions with mycorrhizal fungi. •  Fungi were treated either as a single well-mixed N pool, or as two N pools (one available, plus one not available, for transfer to the host). Models were compared against complete biomass and ¹⁵ N budgets from culture studies of nonmycorrhizal and ectomycorrhizal Pinus sylvestris (colonized with Suillus luteus or Thelephora terrestris ) grown exponentially at low and high N supply. •  Fungal biomass and N increased at low N relative to high N supply, whereas needle δ ¹⁵ N decreased. Needle δ ¹⁵ N correlated strongly and negatively with biomass of extraradical hyphae. Our data and models suggest that low plant δ ¹⁵ N values in low productivity and N-limited environments result partly from high retention of ¹⁵ N-enriched N by mycorrhizal fungi; this retention was driven by increased C flux to fungi under N-limited conditions. The two-pool model of fungal N accounted for greater variability in plant δ ¹⁵ N than the one-pool model. •  Plant δ ¹⁵ N patterns may indicate relative allocation of fixed C from plants to mycorrhizal fungi under some conditions. Studies are needed on whether patterns observed in culture can be applied to interpret field measurements of δ ¹⁵ N.