Abstract
In European forests, the Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) most often regenerates on clearcuts, following mechanical site preparation. Both of these silvicultural treatments (the removal of trees and preparation) have an impact on soil properties, and on the mycorrhizal fungi associated with the roots of seedlings. We therefore compared assemblages of mycorrhizal fungi associating with natural-regeneration pine seedlings growing on a clearcut, in relation to six types of microsite created using three mechanical site-preparation tools, i.e., a double-mouldboard forest plough (creating furrow and ridge), an active single-disc plough (establishing another type of furrow and ridge), and a forest mill—developing strips, as well as a non-mechanical site preparation control. A total of 46 taxa of mycorrhizal fungi were detected, with Wilcoxina mikolae being the most abundant species (relative abundance—79.8%), and the one occurring most frequently (96.8%). Other abundant mycorrhizal fungi were Thelephora terrestris (3.8%), Tylospora asterophora (3.2%), Hyaloscypha bicolor (2.2%), and Cenococcum geophilum (1.7%). The roots of seedlings growing in the non-mechanical site preparation control were characterised by a significantly greater presence of mycorrhizal root tips, compared with the roots of seedlings growing at other microsites. The highest percentage of non-mycorrhizal root tips was present on pines growing on the two types of ridge: the microsites which characterized the highest levels of mineral nutrients. Communities of mycorrhizal fungi differed between microsites. The five microsites: both types of furrow, forest plough ridge, forest mill strip, and non-mechanical site preparation control, were not found to differ from each other, but did differ from the active plough ridge treatment. The highest diversity of mycorrhizal fungi (Shannon–Wiener and Simpson indexes) was in the non-mechanical site preparation control. Any method of mechanical site preparation in the clearcut decreases the level of root mycorrhization and the biodiversity of mycorrhizal fungi. The least suitable method from the point of view of mycorrhizal fungal communities is the use of an active plough.
Highlights
The Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) is a typical Euro-Siberian species, and one of the most important commercially throughout east-central Europe [1]
Soil in the two types of furrow had a significantly higher pH and lower exchangeable acidity than that located in ridges, and than soil not subjected to Mechanical site preparation (MSP) (Table 1)
The microsites put in place as different methods of mechanical site preparation (MSP), pursued over a clearcut, are found to differ in terms of both physical and chemical features of the soil—a circumstance impacting on the level of mycorrhization and assemblage species diversity characterising ECM/EECM fungi on the roots of seedlings of Scots pine growing there
Summary
The Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) is a typical Euro-Siberian species, and one of the most important commercially throughout east-central Europe [1]. It is the main forest-forming tree in Poland, accounting for 58.2% of Poland’s forests by area and 61.2% by volume [2]. Scots pines depend critically on ectomycorrhizal (ECM) symbiosis for optimal development under natural conditions [3]. A variety of silvicultural options exist to regenerate Scots pine. As recruitment among Scots pines is crucially dependent on the factor of light, the clearcut is the main silvicultural system still commonly in use in many European countries, including
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 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.
