The influence of nitrogen fertilization on the carbon economy of Paxillus involutus in ectomycorrhizal association with Betula pendula

Mycorrhizal mycelium was allowed to grow into a compartment from which roots were excluded. Ammonium or nitrate was supplied exclusively to the fungus and the respiration rate before and after nitrogen addition was measured. Mycelial respiration in the fungal compartment represented 11-29% of total fungal and root respiration. The mycelium in the fungal compartment received 20-29% of shoot net assimilation, and 43-64% of the carbon allocated to the mycelium was respired. The nitrogen-induced respiration increase ranged, in the fungal compartment, from 54 to 180%.