Exploring the role of ectomycorrhizal fungi in soil carbon dynamics

The extent to which ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi enable plants to access organic nitrogen (N) bound in soil organic matter (SOM) and transfer this growth-limiting nutrient to their plant host, has important implications for our understanding of plant–fungal interactions, and the cycling and storage o...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The New phytologist 2019-07, Vol.223 (1), p.33-39
Main Authors: Zak, Donald R., Pellitier, Peter T., Argiroff, William A., Castillo, Buck, James, Timothy Y., Nave, Lucas E., Averill, Colin, Beidler, Kaitlyn V., Bhatnagar, Jennifer, Blesh, Jennifer, Classen, Aimée T., Craig, Matthew, Fernandez, Christopher W., Gundersen, Per, Johansen, Renee, Koide, Roger T., Lilleskov, Erik A., Lindahl, Björn D., Nadelhoffer, Knute J., Phillips, Richard P., Tunlid, Anders
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biogeochemistry
Biologi
Biological Sciences
Carbon
Carbon - metabolism
Dynamics
Ecosystems
ectomycorrhizal fungi
Ectomycorrhizas
Fungi
Host plants
Interactions
Limiting factors
Markvetenskap
Microbiology
Mikrobiologi
Mycorrhizae - physiology
Natural Sciences
Naturvetenskap
Nitrogen
nitrogen (N) acquisition
Nitrogen - metabolism
Organic matter
Organic nitrogen
Organic soils
Phylogeny
plant–fungal interactions
Soil
Soil - chemistry
soil carbon (C) storage
Soil dynamics
Soil Microbiology
Soil microorganisms
Soil organic matter
soil organic matter (SOM)
Soil Science
Symbionts
Terrestrial ecosystems
Viewpoints
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Summary:The extent to which ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi enable plants to access organic nitrogen (N) bound in soil organic matter (SOM) and transfer this growth-limiting nutrient to their plant host, has important implications for our understanding of plant–fungal interactions, and the cycling and storage of carbon (C) and N in terrestrial ecosystems. Empirical evidence currently supports a range of perspectives, suggesting that ECM vary in their ability to provide their host with N bound in SOM, and that this capacity can both positively and negatively influence soil C storage. To help resolve the multiplicity of observations, we gathered a group of researchers to explore the role of ECM fungi in soil C dynamics, and propose new directions that hold promise to resolve competing hypotheses and contrasting observations. In this Viewpoint, we summarize these deliberations and identify areas of inquiry that hold promise for increasing our understanding of these fundamental and widespread plant symbionts and their role in ecosystem-level biogeochemistry.
ISSN:0028-646X
1469-8137
1469-8137
DOI:10.1111/nph.15679