Greenhouse experiment shows how mycorrhizal identity affects seedling survival, indicating potential impacts on forest dynamics.
Key Points
This research aims to investigate how different mycorrhizal fungi types and seedling traits influence plant-soil feedbacks and seedling survival.
Conducted a greenhouse experiment with five temperate tree species—three arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) and two ectomycorrhizal (EM).
Utilized soils from six adult tree species (three AM and three EM) to assess feedback dynamics.
Seedlings were grown under three light levels for 12 weeks, with mycorrhizal colonization and functional traits measured at three weeks.
Monitored seedling survival over the full 12-week period.
AM seedlings typically experienced negative plant-soil feedbacks (PSFs) with lower survival in AM soils.
EM seedlings showed positive PSFs and higher survival when grown in EM-soiled environments.
Negative PSFs in AM trees and positive ones in EM trees were linked to mismatched mycorrhizal types in heterospecific soils.
Light levels influenced the magnitude of PSFs, with low light exacerbating negative effects for AM seedlings and enhancing positive effects for EM seedlings.
Cite This Study
McCarthy‐Neumann et al. (2026) studied this question.