Fire-severity effects on plant–fungal interactions after a novel tundra wildfire disturbance: implications for arctic shrub and tree migration

BMC Ecology

Research Article

F. Stuart Chapin III¹  Rebecca E. Hewitt²  D. Lee Taylor³  Teresa N. Hollingsworth⁴ 

[1] Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 99775, Fairbanks, AK, USA;Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 99775, Fairbanks, AK, USA;Center for Ecosystem Science and Society, Northern Arizona University, PO Box 5620, 86011, Flagstaff, AZ, USA;Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 99775, Fairbanks, AK, USA;Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, 87131, Albuquerque, NM, USA;US Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Boreal Ecology Cooperative Research Unit, 99775, Fairbanks, AK, USA;

关键词: Alnus viridis;    Arctic tundra;    ARISA;    Climate change;    Fire severity;    Fungal internal transcribed spacer (ITS);    Picea mariana;    Shrub expansion;    Treeline;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12898-016-0075-y

 received in 2015-12-10, accepted in 2016-04-05,  发布年份 2016

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundVegetation change in high latitude tundra ecosystems is expected to accelerate due to increased wildfire activity. High-severity fires increase the availability of mineral soil seedbeds, which facilitates recruitment, yet fire also alters soil microbial composition, which could significantly impact seedling establishment.ResultsWe investigated the effects of fire severity on soil biota and associated effects on plant performance for two plant species predicted to expand into Arctic tundra. We inoculated seedlings in a growth chamber experiment with soils collected from the largest tundra fire recorded in the Arctic and used molecular tools to characterize root-associated fungal communities. Seedling biomass was significantly related to the composition of fungal inoculum. Biomass decreased as fire severity increased and the proportion of pathogenic fungi increased.ConclusionsOur results suggest that effects of fire severity on soil biota reduces seedling performance and thus we hypothesize that in certain ecological contexts fire-severity effects on plant–fungal interactions may dampen the expected increases in tree and shrub establishment after tundra fire.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Hewitt et al. 2016