Seed germination and seedling physiology of Larix kaempferi and Pinus densiflora in seedbeds with charcoal and elevated CO2

Abstract

We investigated the effect of ectomycorrhizal colonization, charcoal and CO2 levels on the germination of seeds of Larix kaempferi and Pinus densiflora, and also their subsequent physiological activity and growth. The seeds were sown in brown forest soil or brown forest soil mixed with charcoal, at ambient CO2 (360 μmol mol−1) or elevated CO2 (720 μmol mol−1), with or without ectomycorrhiza. The proportions of both conifer seeds that germinated in forest soil mixed with charcoal were significantly greater than for seeds sown in forest soil grown at each CO2 level (P < 0.05; t-test). However, the ectomycorrhizal colonization rate of each species grown in brown forest soil mixed with charcoal was significantly lower than in forest soil at each CO2 treatment [CO2] (P < 0.01; t-test). The phosphorus concentrations in needles of each seedling colonized with ectomycorrhiza and grown in forest soil were greater than in nonectomycorrhizal seedlings at each CO2 level, especially for L. kaempferi seedlings (P < 0.05; t-test), but the concentrations in seedlings grown in brown forest soil mixed with charcoal were not increased at any CO2 level. Moreover, the maximum net photosynthetic rate of each seedling for light and CO2 saturation (P max) increased when the seedlings were grown with ectomycorrhiza at 720 μmol mol−1 [CO2]. Ectomycorrhizal colonization led to an increase in the stem diameter of each species grown in each soil treatment at each CO2 level. However, charcoal slowed the initial growth of both species of seedling, constraining ectomycorrhizal development. These results indicate that charcoal strongly assists seed germination and physiological activity.