Date of Award
Spring 4-29-2020
Semester of Degree
May
Document Type
Open Access Thesis
Degree Name
M.S. in Environmental and Forest Biology
Department
Environmental and Forest Biology
Major Professor
Horton
Steering Committee Member
Ruth Yanai
Steering Committee Member
John Drake
Steering Committee Member
Jamie L. Lamit
Abstract
Forest productivity and recovery is limited by nutrients including nitrogen and phosphorus. Ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) form mutualistic symbioses with trees and aid roots in acquiring soil nutrients. The composition of EMF in forests may be sensitive to changes in soil nutrients in ways not fully understood. This research investigates EMF fruiting responses to nutrient manipulation in a project on Multiple Element Limitation in Northern Hardwood Ecosystems where N and P have been added annually in a factorial design since 2011. Sporocarp abundance, biomass, species richness, and fruiting community composition were compared between nutrient addition plots and control plots. While some ectomycorrhizal fungi are known to respond to N fertilization, this work is among the first to observe sporocarp community response to P fertilization, and to N and P fertilization together, which will be important to predicting how fungal communities will respond to changing soil nutrient conditions in a changing world.
Recommended Citation
Victoroff, Claudia, "Response of Ectomycorrhizal Fungal Fruiting to Nitrogen and Phosphorus Additions in Bartlett Experimental Forest, New Hampshire" (2020). Dissertations and Theses. 167.
https://digitalcommons.esf.edu/etds/167