Phosphorus cycling in deciduous forest soil differs between stands dominated by ecto- and arbuscular mycorrhizal trees.

摘要: Although much is known about how trees and their associated microbes influence nitrogen cycling in temperate forest soils, less biotic controls over phosphorus (P) cycling. Given that mycorrhizal fungi are instrumental for P acquisition the two dominant associations - arbuscular (AM) ectomycorrhizal (ECM) possess different strategies acquiring P, we hypothesized would differ stands dominated by with AM vs ECM fungi. We quantified soil solution microbial biomass sequentially extracted inorganic organic pools from May to November plots forming either or south-central Indiana, USA. Overall, fungal communities were functionally soils exhibited fundamental differences Organic forms of more available than plots. Yet decreased accumulated growing season both plots, resulting increasingly P-limited biomass. Collectively, our results suggest hardwood forests strongly influenced processes these driven plant-associated communities.