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

Rebecca E. Hewitt; Teresa Hollingsworth; F. Stuart Chapin III; D. Lee Taylor

doi:10.1186/s12898-016-0075-y

Treesearch

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

Formally Refereed

Authors:

Rebecca E. Hewitt, Teresa Hollingsworth, F. Stuart Chapin III, D. Lee Taylor

Year:

2016

Type:

Scientific Journal

Station:

Pacific Northwest Research Station

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12898-016-0075-y

Source:

BMC Ecology

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Abstract

Background: Vegetation 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. Results: We 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. Conclusions: Our 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.

Keywords

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

Citation

Hewitt, Rebecca E.; Hollingsworth, Teresa N.; Stuart Chapin III, F.; Lee Taylor, D. 2016. Fire-severity effects on plant-fungal interactions after a novel tundra wildfire disturbance: implications for arctic shrub and tree migration. BMC Ecology. 16(1): 546-.