A NEW HYPOTHESIS TO EXPLAIN ALLOCATION OF DRY-MATTER BETWEEN MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI AND PINE-SEEDLINGS IN RELATION TO NUTRIENT SUPPLY

Nutrient uptake by forest trees is largely dependent on their associated ectomycorrhizal fungi. The presence of extramatrical mycelium produced by ectomycorrhizal fungi allows trees to exploit a larger soil volume. In this paper the effects of macronutrients on the production of extramatrical mycelium are reviewed. It is concluded that elevated levels of nitrogen and, to some extent, phosphorus strongly inhibit the development of extramatrical mycelium. A deficiency of phosphorus, on the other hand, stimulates ectomycorrhizal development. Low levels of phosphorus may offset the negative influence of nitrogen, indicating that the nitrogen effect is indirect. No other macronutrients have been shown to affect extramatrical mycelium significantly, however, very few studies have been made. To explain reduced ectomycorrhizal development under conditions of high N availability, it has been suggested that the host would allocate less carbohydrate to the mycobiont under such conditions owing to a greater demand for carbon by growing shoots. In the present paper an alternative explanation is suggested: The fungus is forced to take up all available nitrogen and must therefore consume the available carbohydrate in order to assimilate it. The surplus of carbohydrates after nitrogen assimilation can then be used to produce fungal mycelium and fruit bodies. However, the total allocation of host carbohydrate to the mycorrhizal fungus is not reduced at elevated levels of N supply. In contrast with previous theories, the present one proposes that it is the fungus, rather than the host which adjusts its carbon allocation patterns to the N supply.