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Per Persson. Photo.

Per Persson

Dean

Per Persson. Photo.

Influence of ammonium on formation of mineral-associated organic carbon by an ectomycorrhizal fungus

Author

  • Tao Wang
  • Zhaomo Tian
  • Anders Tunlid
  • Per Persson

Summary, in English

The interactions between dissolved organic matter (DOM) and mineral particles are critical for the stabilization of soil organic matter (SOM) in terrestrial ecosystems. The processing of DOM by ectomycorrhizal fungi contributes to the formation of mineral-stabilized SOM by two contrasting pathways: the extracellular transformation of DOM (ex vivo pathway) and the secretion of mineral-surface-reactive metabolites (in vivo pathway). In this study, we examined how changes in nitrogen (N) availability affected the formation of mineral-associated carbon (C) from these two pathways. DOM was extracted from forest soils. The processing of this DOM by the ectomycorrhizal fungus Paxillus involutus was examined in laboratory-scale studies with different levels of ammonium. At low levels of ammonium (i.e., under N-limited conditions), the DOM components were slightly oxidized, and fungal C metabolites with iron-reducing activity were secreted. Ammonium amendments decreased the amount of C metabolites, and no additional oxidation of the organic matter was detected. In contrast, the hydrolytic activity and the secretion of N-containing compounds increased, particularly when high levels of ammonium were added. Under these conditions, C, but not N, limited fungal growth. Although the overall production of mineral-associated organic C was not affected by ammonium concentrations, the observed shifts in the activities of the ex vivo and in vivo pathways affected the composition of organic matter adsorbed onto the mineral particles. Such changes will affect the properties of organic matter-mineral associations and, thus, ultimately, the stabilization of SOM.

Department/s

  • Microbial Ecology
  • MEMEG
  • BECC: Biodiversity and Ecosystem services in a Changing Climate
  • Centre for Environmental and Climate Science (CEC)

Publishing year

2019

Language

English

Publication/Series

Applied and Environmental Microbiology

Volume

85

Issue

10

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

American Society for Microbiology

Topic

  • Microbiology

Keywords

  • Decomposition
  • Ectomycorrhizal fungi
  • Organic matter-mineral interaction
  • Soil organic matter

Status

Published

Project

  • MICCS - Molecular Interactions Controlling soil Carbon Sequestration

Research group

  • Microbial Ecology

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 0099-2240