Testing the ectomycorrhizal-dominance hypothesis for ecosystem multifunctionality in a subtropical mountain forest

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Forest Science
• Mycology

Background:

• Mycorrhizal associations are crucial for forest community structure and ecosystem functions.
• A predictive framework for how distinct mycorrhizal associations influence ecosystem multifunctionality is lacking.
• Ectomycorrhiza (EcM) is a dominant mycorrhizal type in many forests.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of ectomycorrhiza (EcM) dominance on ecosystem multifunctionality in subtropical mountain forests.
• To synthesize the prevalence of EcM-dominant effects on ecosystem functioning across global forest biomes.
• To develop a framework for predicting ecosystem multifunctionality based on mycorrhizal associations.

Main Methods:

• Utilized datasets on mycorrhizal association diversity and 18 ecosystem processes.
• Examined the influence of EcM tree and fungal dominance on ecosystem multifunctionality.
• Synthesized findings across different forest biomes to assess generalization of EcM effects.

Main Results:

• Elevation significantly influenced EcM distribution and fungal dominance, impacting multiple ecosystem functions.
• Ecosystem multifunctionality increased with a higher proportion of EcM associations, supporting the ectomycorrhizal-dominance hypothesis.
• The impact of EcM dominance on individual ecosystem functions varied across different forest biomes.

Conclusions:

• Ectomycorrhizal dominance plays a significant role in regulating multifunctionality, particularly in subtropical forests.
• The influence of ectomycorrhizal feedback on ecosystem functions is not universally applicable across all forest ecosystems.
• Predictions of ecosystem multifunctionality shifts due to changes in mycorrhizal composition require consideration of spatial and temporal variations.