J Plant Ecol ›› 2020, Vol. 13 ›› Issue (5): 574-588 .DOI: 10.1093/jpe/rtaa045

• Research Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Characteristics of fungal community structure during the decomposition of mixed foliage litter from Pinus massoniana and broadleaved tree species in southwestern China

Yan Zhang1,†, Xun Li1,†, Danju Zhang1,2, Yu Qin1, Yang Zhou1, Simeng Song1 and Jian Zhang1,2,*   

  1. 1Key Laboratory of Ecological Forestry Engineering, Institute of Ecology & Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, 611130 Chengdu, China, 2Collaborative Innovation Center of Ecological Security in the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China

    *Corresponding author. E-mail: sicauzhangjian@163.com
    These authors contributed equally to this work.
  • Received:2019-12-24 Revised:2020-06-22 Accepted:2020-07-21 Online:2020-07-26 Published:2020-10-01

Abstract:

Aims

The conifer litter is fairly recalcitrant and nutrient poor, and broadleaved litter promotes coniferous litter decomposition by increasing degradable nutrients and promoting microbial metabolism. Mixing Pinus massoniana litter and three broadleaved litters may increase the diversity and abundance of fungal decomposers compared with those in P. massoniana litter and vary depending on the number and proportion of broadleaved species included.

Methods

We analysed the composition and diversity of fungal communities during mixed litter decomposition in southwestern China with 35 treatments (P. massonianaToona sinensisCinnamomum camphora and Sassafras tzumu litter) using Illumina high-throughput sequencing.

Important Findings

The mixed litters increased fungal diversity and richness compared with those in the single-species litter, except in the following treatments: P. massoniana litter accounting for 70%–80% in the P. massoniana + T. sinensisP. massoniana + S. tzumu + T. sinensis and P. massoniana + S. tzumu + C. camphora combinations, and P. massoniana + S. tzumu + C. camphora + T. sinensis combination with small proportion of T. sinensis litter. The diversity and richness of the 7:1:2 combination of P. massoniana + C. camphora + T. sinensis were significantly higher than those in the other treatments. Ascomycota and Basidiomycota were the dominant phyla, and Aspergillus was the most abundant genus. The decomposition of litters from one needleleaf and one broadleaved species (6:4) and one needleleaf species and two broadleaved species (broadleaved litter accounting for 30%–40%) exhibited synergistic interactions throughout the decomposition process, and the relative abundance of fungi that decompose refractory substances increased. The P. massoniana + C. camphora + T. sinensis combination and a 30%–40% broadleaf litter proportion increased fungal diversity and accelerated the decomposition of recalcitrant coniferous litter. Therefore, C. camphora and T. sinensis are a potential candidate species for mixed planting with P. massoniana.

Key words: fungal community, mixed leaf litter, non-additive effect, Pinus massoniana, high-throughput sequencing

摘要:

针叶树凋落物相当顽强且养分含量低,而阔叶凋落物通过增加可降解养分和促进微生物代谢来促进针叶凋落物的分解。马尾松(Pinus massoniana)凋落物和三个阔叶凋落物混合可能会增加真菌分解者的多样性和丰富性,并且会随着阔叶树种的数量和比例而有所差异。我们使用高通量测序技术分析了西南地区马尾松与香椿(Toona sinensis),香樟(Cinnamomum camphora)和檫木(Sassafras tzumu)凋落叶混合分解过程中的真菌群落组成和多样性,共设置35种实验处理。研究结果表明,与单一凋落叶相比,除马尾松+香椿,马尾松+檫木+香椿和马尾松+檫木+香樟组合中马尾松凋落叶占70%-80%以及马尾松+檫木+香樟+香椿组合中香椿凋落叶所占比例较小外,其余混合凋落叶均增加了真菌的多样性和丰富性。其中马尾松+香樟+香椿组合中的7:1:2的真菌多样性和丰富性显著高于其他处理。子囊菌门和担子菌门是最主要的优势门,曲霉属是最丰富的真菌群落属。一针一阔(6:4)和一针两阔(阔叶凋落叶占30%-40%)组合的凋落叶在整个分解过程中均表现出较强的协同作用,并且增加了可分解较难分解物质真菌菌群的相对丰度。可见马尾松+香樟+香椿组合中阔叶凋落物占30%-40%比例时增加了真菌的多样性,促进了针叶凋落物中难分解物质的分解。因此,香椿和香樟可能是构建马尾松混交林潜在的候选阔叶伴生树种。

关键词: 真菌群落, 混合凋落物, 非加性效应, 马尾松(Pinus massoniana), 高通量测序