Abstract
Peatlands store a significant carbon (C) pool but global warming promotes growth of woody plants, which may affect the C balance of peatlands. As shrubs and trees form symbioses with mycorrhizal fungi, which are potentially effective decomposers of recalcitrant organic matter, suitable tools to measure fungal biomass, necromass and turnover rates are needed. Here we present a method optimized for studying chitin, a marker of living and dead fungal mass in peatland ecosystems. Optimizations include enhancement of purification steps, which enabled measurements of chitin concentration from both peat and from mycorrhizal mycelia in ingrowth bags with quartz sand. Adjustments proposed here will enable studying the role of fungi in peatland ecosystems.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
