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Soil Fungal Community Structure and Function Shift during a Disease-Driven Forest Succession
Zhao-Lei Qu1, Ahmed Braima1, Bing Liu1,2
1Collaborative Innovation Center of Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry Universitygrid.410625.4, Nanjing, China.
Microbiology Spectrum
|September 8, 2022
Summary
Forest disease drives succession, increasing soil fungal biomass, diversity, and enzyme activity. Fungal communities shift along succession, with symbiotrophs becoming dominant, influenced by soil pH and carbon.
Area of Science:
- Forest Ecology
- Soil Microbiology
- Ecosystem Dynamics
Background:
- Sustainable forest management relies on understanding forest succession.
- Soil microbial responses to disease-driven forest succession are understudied.
- Pine wilt disease induces significant shifts in forest ecosystems.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate soil fungal biomass, enzyme activity, and community structure/function during pine wilt disease-driven succession.
- Analyze changes from conifer to broadleaved forests.
- Identify key factors influencing soil fungal dynamics.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Illumina Miseq sequencing for fungal community analysis.
- Employed FUNGuild analysis for functional assessment.
- Measured soil fungal biomass and enzyme activities (C, N, S, P cycles).
Main Results:
- Broadleaved forests showed higher fungal biomass and C, N, S enzyme activity; conifer forests excelled in P activity.
- Fungal diversity and richness increased significantly along succession (P < 0.05).
- Fungal community structure and function varied distinctly across succession stages, influenced by soil pH and organic carbon.
Conclusions:
- Disease-driven forest succession significantly alters soil fungal communities and functions.
- Increased fungal biomass, diversity, and enzyme activity are observed during succession.
- Understanding these plant-microbe interactions is crucial for forest disease management and ecosystem restoration.
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