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Abstract
AimsPioneer tree species such as Betula pendula and Pinus sylvestris encroach soils contaminated with heavy metals (HMs). This is facilitated by ectomycorrhizal fungi colonizing tree roots. Thus, we evaluated the ectomycorrhizal fungal (EMF) communities of B. pendula and P. sylvestris growing in HM-contaminated soils compared to non-contaminated soils. We also studied the effect of HMs and soil properties on EMF communities and soil fungal biomass.MethodsRoots of B. pendula and P. sylvestris were collected from three HM-contaminated sites and from two non-contaminated sites located in Poland. EMF species were identified using DNA barcoding. Soil fungal biomass was determined by soil ergosterol.ResultsB. pendula and P. sylvestris growing in HM-contaminated soils had similar EMF communities, where Scleroderma, Rhizopogon and Russula as well as ectomycorrhizae of the long-distance exploration type dominated. Among all of the examined soil factors studied, toxicity index (TITotal) was the most significant factor shaping the composition of EMF communities. Despite significant differences in the structure of the EMF communities of trees growing in HM-contaminated sites compared to control sites, no differences in overall diversity were observed.ConclusionsOnly well-adapted EMF species can survive toxic conditions and form ectomycorrhizal symbiosis with encroaching trees facilitating the forest succession on contaminated soils.
Highlights
The southern part of Poland has been a centre of the lead and zinc industry since the Middle Ages (Grodzińska et al 2000)
Differences between concentration of heavy metals (HMs) in soils from plots of B. pendula and P. sylvestris were not statistically significant according to nested ANOVA (Table 1)
Nested ANOVA indicated that the concentrations of HMs and other soil properties differed significantly between B. pendula and P. sylvestris within location
Summary
The southern part of Poland has been a centre of the lead and zinc industry since the Middle Ages (Grodzińska et al 2000). This region has been ranked as one of the most polluted regions in Europe (Piekut et al 2019). Several smelters, associated industrial plants, and ore mines are still in use resulting in the accumulation of high levels of toxic heavy metals (HMs) in soils, in the upper soil layers (Augustyniak et al 2014), where the highest density of fine root (Jackson et al 1996) and ectomycorrhizal root tips (Rosling et al 2003) occurs. HMs can inhibit photosynthesis and diminish water and nutrient uptake, resulting in chlorosis, growth inhibition, browning of root tips, and eventual plant death (Seregin and Ivanov 2001)
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