Evaluation of methods to estimate production, biomass and turnover of ectomycorrhizal mycelium in forests soils : A review

By H. Wallander, A. Ekblad, D. Godbold, David W. Johnson, A. Bahr, Petr Baldrian, R. Björk, B. Kieliszewska-Rokicka, R. Kjøller, H. Kraigher and 2 more. 2013

242 citations recorded by the source corpus.

Mycorrhizal fungi constitute a considerable sink for carbon in most ecosystems. This carbon is used for building extensive mycelial networks in the soil as well as for metabolic activity related to nutrient uptake. A number of methods have been developed recently to quantify production, standing biomass and turnover of extramatrical mycorrhizal mycelia (EMM) in the field. These methods include minirhizotrons, in-growth mesh bags and cores, and indirect measurements of EMM based on classification of ectomycorrhizal fungi into exploration types. Here we review the state of the art of this methodology and discuss how it can be developed and applied most effectively in the field. Furthermore, we also discuss different ways to quantify fungal biomass based on biomarkers such as chitin, ergosterol and PLFAs, as well as molecular methods, such as qPCR. The evidence thus far indicates that mycorrhizal fungi are key components of microbial biomass in many ecosystems. We highlight the need to extend the application of current methods to focus on a greater range of habitats and mycorrhizal types enabling incorporation of mycorrhizal fungal biomass and turnover into biogeochemical cycling models.

Subfields: Insect Science, Pharmacology, Plant Science

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/e2a19886f9b9fa1fa7ecc46a2ca823bd539e6086

How researchers see this paper

The researchers whose trusted networks rank it highest, strongest advocate first. Every researcher gets a different order.

In Insect Science

1. T. Kuyper
2. Y. Kuzyakov
3. J. van Ruijven
4. A. Gunina

In Pharmacology

1. T. Kuyper

In Plant Science

1. L. Mommer
2. A. Gunina
3. Y. Kuzyakov
4. M. Dippold
5. B. Glaser
6. J. van Ruijven
7. E. Visser
8. T. Kuyper

Citations in the corpus

• Fine-root trait plasticity of beech (Fagus sylvatica) and spruce (Picea abies) forests on two contrasting soils (2017, methodology): “We used polyester mycorrhizal mesh bags (10 × 6 × 2 cm, 38 μm mesh size) that allow the ingrowth of ectomycorrhizal mycelia but not of roots (Wallander et al. 2001, 2013), which were filled with 145 g of quartz sand.”
• Turnover of microbial groups and cell components in soil: 13 C analysis of cellular biomarkers (2017, background): “Chitin and peptidoglycan, the direct sources of the amino sugars, comprise no more than 5% of cell biomass (Park and Uehara, 2008; Wallander et al., 2013).”
• Towards a multidimensional root trait framework: a tree root review. (2016, background): “…fungal exploration types based on their morphology (e.g. extraradical hyphae and rhizomorphs; Agerer, 2001), and quantifying mycelium abundance (Wallander et al., 2001, 2013; Ekblad et al., 2013)may further reveal the role of mycorrhizal fungi in soil exploration and exploitation capacities of…”