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Isolation of Culturable Yeasts and Molds from Soils to Investigate Fungal Population Structure
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Elevational changes in soil properties shaping fungal community assemblages in terrestrial forest
Huan Luo1, Chunyan Wang2, Kaile Zhang3
1College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China; Department of Applied Biology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, South Korea.
The Science of the Total Environment
|July 29, 2023
Summary
Elevation-driven changes in soil properties significantly impact fungal communities in Pinus tabuliformis forests. Soil moisture, pH, and nutrients influence root and rhizosphere fungi, crucial for predicting climate change effects.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Soil Science
- Microbiology
Background:
- Climate change alters environmental variables, influencing plant-associated microbial communities.
- The impact of elevation-induced soil property changes on forest microbial communities is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of elevation on soil physicochemical properties and microbial assemblage in Pinus tabuliformis forests.
- To explore the relationship between environmental factors and fungal community structure in root and rhizosphere.
Main Methods:
- Studied Pinus tabuliformis forests at three elevations (1500m, 1900m, 2300m).
- Analyzed soil physicochemical properties (moisture, temperature, pH, N, P) and enzymatic activities (sucrase, phosphatase, dehydrogenase).
- Assessed fungal community richness and composition in root and rhizosphere samples.
Main Results:
- Significant changes in soil properties and enzymatic activities were observed with increasing elevation.
- Fungal richness in the rhizosphere decreased with elevation, while root fungal communities showed a humpback pattern.
- Rhizosphere fungal communities correlated with physical soil properties (pH, moisture, temperature); root communities correlated with soil nutrients (N, P).
Conclusions:
- Elevation-induced environmental changes are primary drivers of root and rhizosphere fungal community structure in Pinus tabuliformis forests.
- Specific fungal groups (Agaricomycetes, Leotiomycetes, Pezizomycetes) are key to ecological stability.
- Findings are important for predicting fungal community responses to future climate change.
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