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Natural 15 N abundance in fruit bodies of ectomycorrhizal fungi from boreal forests
Author(s) -
TAYLOR ANDREW F. S.,
HÖGBOM LARS,
HÖGBERG MONA,
LYON ANTHONY J. E.,
NÄSHOLM TORGNY,
HÖGBERG PETER
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1046/j.1469-8137.1997.00788.x
Subject(s) - biology , botany , mycelium , intraspecific competition , abundance (ecology) , ectomycorrhiza , taiga , basidiomycota , fungus , mycorrhiza , chitin , ecology , symbiosis , bacteria , biochemistry , genetics , chitosan
SUMMARY The 15 N natural abundance and N concentrations of fruit bodies from 70 species (23 genera) of ectomycorrhizal fungi found in boreal forests are presented. Large intraspecific and intrageneric differences were found, e.g. 8.3‰ 15 N in the species Dermocybe crocea and 12.6‰ in the genus Cortinarius. In addition, significant differences in both δ 15 N and %N were found between different parts of fruit bodies, with cap material giving consistently higher values. Proteins and amino acids were enriched by 9.7±0.4‰ (mean ± 1 SE) relative to chitin, irrespective of the part of the fruit body examined. Chitin had δ 15 N values similar to that of plant hosts. The higher δ 15 N and %N values of the caps than of the stipes probably reflect a higher portion of proteins and amino acids in the caps. The δ 15 N of mycorrhizal fungi can be a function of the N species used (organic N, NH 4 + , NO 3 − ), the depth of soil at which the mycelium occurs, and metabolic fractionations. The metabolic fractionations, e.g. potential transaminations during the flux of N from the soil through the fungus to the plant, make it difficult, at present, to make inferences about sources of N based on δ 15 N values alone. No effect of sample drying temperature on δ 15 values of fungal material was detected.