Lifespans of fungal rhizomorphs under nitrogen fertilization in a pinyon-juniper woodland
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
3-2005
Department
College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
Abstract
The lifespan of individual microbes in the soil influences nutrient cycling rates as well as population dynamics, but their responses to global change factors such as anthropogenic nitrogen deposition have been challenging to quantify in situ. We used minirhizotron images to track the abundance and turnover rate of individual fungal rhizomorphs under nitrogen fertilization in a pinyon-juniper woodland in New Mexico. We hypothesized that increases in nitrogen availability would alter rhizomorph lifespan and abundance. Sequential images were collected over eight sampling dates from November 1997 to August 1999, and a total of 278 rhizomorphs were examined. We found that neither standing stocks nor lifespans of rhizomorphs differed significantly between treatments. Lifespans of rhizomorphs lasted eleven months on average, indicating that nutrient immobilization in these structures could last for longer than a growing season in these sites.
Publication Title
Plant and Soil
Recommended Citation
Treseder, K.,
Allen, M.,
Ruess, R.,
Pregitzer, K.,
&
Hendrick, R.
(2005).
Lifespans of fungal rhizomorphs under nitrogen fertilization in a pinyon-juniper woodland.
Plant and Soil,
270(1), 249-255.
http://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-004-1559-7
Retrieved from: https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/michigantech-p/4990