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Summary: There is limited knowledge on how the association of trees with different mycorrhizal types shapes soil microbial communities in the context of changing tree diversity levels. We used arbuscular (AM) and ectomycorrhizal (EcM) tree species as con‐ and heterospecific tree species pairs (TSPs), which were established in plots of three tree diversity levels including monocultures, two‐species mixtures and multi‐tree species mixtures in a tree diversity experiment in subtropical China. We found that the tree mycorrhizal type had a significant effect on fungal but not bacterial alpha diversity. Furthermore, only EcM but not AM TSPs fungal alpha diversity increased with tree diversity, and the differences between AM and EcM TSPs disappeared in multi‐species mixtures. Tree mycorrhizal type, tree diversity and their interaction had significant effects on fungal community composition. Neither fungi nor bacteria showed any significant compositional variation in TSPs located in multi‐species mixtures. Accordingly, the most influential taxa driving the tree mycorrhizal differences at low tree diversity were not significant in multi‐tree species mixtures. Collectively, our results indicate that tree mycorrhizal type is an important factor determining the diversity and community composition of soil microbes, and higher tree diversity levels promote convergence of the soil microbial communities. Significance statement: More than 90% of terrestrial plants have symbiotic associations with mycorrhizal fungi which could influence the coexisting microbiota. Systematic understanding of the individual and interactive effects of tree mycorrhizal type and tree species diversity on the soil microbiota is crucial for the mechanistic comprehension of the role of microbes in forest soil ecological processes. Our tree species pair (TSP) concept coupled with random sampling within and across the plots, allowed us the unbiased assessment of tree mycorrhizal type and tree diversity effects on the tree‐tree interaction zone soil microbiota. Unlike in monocultures and two‐species mixtures, we identified species‐rich and converging fungal and bacterial communities in multi‐tree species mixtures. Consequently, we recommend planting species‐rich mixtures of EcM and AM trees, for afforestation and reforestation regimes. Specifically, our findings highlight the significance of tree mycorrhizal type in studying 'tree diversity – microbial diversity – ecosystem function' relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi were monitored in a 4-year experiment of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilization in three growing seasons (April, August, and November) under two successional stages (young and mature) in a subtropical forest of China. AM fungal extra-radical hyphal density was significantly affected by fertilization, season, and interactions between fertilization and season and between forest stage and season, but not by forest stage. The spore density of AM fungi was significantly affected by forest stage and season, but not by fertilization. Totally, 160 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) of AM fungi have been identified at a 97% sequence similarity level using Illumina MiSeq sequencing of the V4 region of the 18S rDNA. AM fungal Shannon diversity index, but not OTU richness, showed a positive response to P fertilization. The community composition of AM fungi was significantly influenced by P fertilization, but not by N fertilization, season, and forest stage. Phosphorus fertilization exhibited a negative impact on the relative abundance of the dominant Glomeraceae. This finding highlights that P availability has a strong effect on the community of AM fungi in the subtropical forest ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiversity-ecosystem functioning ( BEF) experiments address ecosystem-level consequences of species loss by comparing communities of high species richness with communities from which species have been gradually eliminated. BEF experiments originally started with microcosms in the laboratory and with grassland ecosystems. A new frontier in experimental BEF research is manipulating tree diversity in forest ecosystems, compelling researchers to think big and comprehensively., We present and discuss some of the major issues to be considered in the design of BEF experiments with trees and illustrate these with a new forest biodiversity experiment established in subtropical China ( Xingangshan, Jiangxi Province) in 2009/2010. Using a pool of 40 tree species, extinction scenarios were simulated with tree richness levels of 1, 2, 4, 8 and 16 species on a total of 566 plots of 25·8 × 25·8 m each., The goal of this experiment is to estimate effects of tree and shrub species richness on carbon storage and soil erosion; therefore, the experiment was established on sloped terrain. The following important design choices were made: (i) establishing many small rather than fewer larger plots, (ii) using high planting density and random mixing of species rather than lower planting density and patchwise mixing of species, (iii) establishing a map of the initial 'ecoscape' to characterize site heterogeneity before the onset of biodiversity effects and (iv) manipulating tree species richness not only in random but also in trait-oriented extinction scenarios., Data management and analysis are particularly challenging in BEF experiments with their hierarchical designs nesting individuals within-species populations within plots within-species compositions. Statistical analysis best proceeds by partitioning these random terms into fixed-term contrasts, for example, species composition into contrasts for species richness and the presence of particular functional groups, which can then be tested against the remaining random variation among compositions., We conclude that forest BEF experiments provide exciting and timely research options. They especially require careful thinking to allow multiple disciplines to measure and analyse data jointly and effectively. Achieving specific research goals and synergy with previous experiments involves trade-offs between different designs and requires manifold design decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus community composition and diversity among the forest, grassland, and cropland ecosystems in the Tibetan Plateau were carried out in this study. A total of 44 AM fungi belonging to six genera were isolated from 144 soil samples collected from forest, grassland, and cropland. Of these AM fungi, 40 taxa were found in forest, 19 in grassland, and 19 in cropland. Glomus was the dominant genus in the three ecosystems, as well as Acaulospora was dominant in forest and grassland. Acaulospora laevis and A. scrobiculata were the dominant species in forest. Acaulospora laevis and Glomus mosseae were dominant in grassland and cropland. The spore density, species richness, and Shannon diversity index of AM fungi from high to low were forest > grassland > cropland. The Sorenson's similarity coefficients of AM fungus community composition ranged from 0.58 to 0.63 between the forest, grassland, and cropland. The results revealed that there was high diversity of AM fungi and the AM fungal community composition varied among the three ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is critical to identify the community assembly patterns (i.e. , deterministic or stochastic processes) of soil microbes and the potential driving factors to better predict the belowground biodiversity and functioning in forest ecosystems. Here, a combined approach of neutral model and multivariate analysis was employed to examine the soil bacterial communities in 12 undisturbed forests in China, spanning a wide latitudinal range from 21.6°N to 50.8°N. A clear divergent pattern was found for community composition, indicating that deterministic processes dominated the community assembly of soil bacteria. The α-diversity (richness) nonlinearly changed from tropical to cold temperate zones, with the lowest and highest values detected in subtropical and temperate zones, respectively. Although no latitudinal pattern was observed for β-diversity (community variation), there were clear climate zone patterns. Unlike the minor effects of mean annual precipitation (MAP) and temperature (MAT) on bacterial α-diversity, MAP and MAT were important factors affecting soil bacterial β-diversity. Soil pH was a strong driver of α- and β-diversity, but plant factors had only minor effects. Altogether, this study highlights the unexpected importance of climatic factors in shaping bacterial β-diversity in forest soils. Our findings have implications for future investigations of bacterial community dynamics in forest ecosystems, particularly the responses of community composition to global climate change scenarios across large geographical scales. • Bacterial α-diversity peaked in higher-latitude temperate forest ecosystems. • The observed bacterial β-diversity was greater than the neutral prediction. • Bacterial β-diversity was significantly different among climatic zones. • Apart from soil pH, MAP and MAT were also important drivers of bacterial communities. • Plant factors were not key predictors of soil bacterial community at the broad scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five new phthalide derivatives, biscogniphthalides A-D (1, 2, 3a/3b, and 4), were isolated from Biscogniauxia sp. (No. 69-8-7-1), along with one related known phthalide (5). Their structures were determined by comprehensive spectroscopic analyses, chemical derivatization, and quantum chemical ECD calculations. In addition, the anti-acetyl cholinesterase, antimicrobial, and anti-α-glucosidase activities of 1-5 were evaluated., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Eight new viridins, nodulisporiviridins A-H (1-8), were isolated from the extract of an endolichenic fungal strain Nodulisporium sp. (No. 65-17-2-1) that was fermented with potato-dextrose broth. The structures were determined using spectroscopic and X-ray crystallographic analysis. Nodulisporiviridins A-D (1-4) are unique viridins with an opened ring A. The Aβ42 aggregation inhibitory activities of 1-8 were evaluated using a thioflavin T (ThT) assay with epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) as the positive control (EGCG IC50 of 0.5 μM). Nodulisporiviridin G (7) displayed potent inhibitory activity with an IC50 value of 1.2 μM, and the preliminary trend of activity of these viridins as Aβ42 aggregation inhibitors was proposed. The short-term memory assay on an Aβ transgenic drosophila model of Alzheimer's disease showed that all eight compounds improved the short-term memory capacity, with potencies close to that of the positive control (memantine).

Understanding the response of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi to warming and nitrogen (N) fertilization is critical to assess the impact of anthropogenic disturbance on ecosystem functioning under global climate change scenarios. In this study, AM fungal communities were examined in a full factorial design with warming and N addition in a semiarid steppe in northern China. Warming significantly increased AM fungal spore density, regardless of N addition, whilst N addition significantly decreased AM fungal extraradical hyphal density, regardless of warming. A total of 79 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) of AM fungi were recovered by 454 pyrosequencing of SSU rDNA. Warming, but not N addition, had a significant positive effect on AM fungal OTU richness, while warming and N addition significantly increased AM fungal Shannon diversity index. N addition, but not warming, significantly altered the AM fungal community composition. Furthermore, the changes in AM fungal community composition were associated with shifts in plant community composition indirectly caused by N addition. These findings highlight the different effects of warming and N addition on AM fungal communities and contribute to understanding AM fungal community responses to global environmental change scenarios in semiarid steppe ecosystems.

Environmental selection and dispersal limitation are two of the primary processes structuring biotic communities in ecosystems, but little is known about these processes in shaping soil microbial communities during secondary forest succession. We examined the communities of ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungi in young, intermediate and old forests in a Chinese subtropical ecosystem, using 454 pyrosequencing. The EM fungal community consisted of 393 operational taxonomic units (OTUs), belonging to 21 EM fungal lineages, in which three EM fungal lineages and 11 EM fungal OTUs showed significantly biased occurrence among the young, intermediate and old forests. The EM fungal community was structured by environmental selection and dispersal limitation in old forest, but only by environmental selection in young, intermediate, and whole forests. Furthermore, the EM fungal community was affected by different factors in the different forest successional stages, and the importance of these factors in structuring EM fungal community dramatically decreased along the secondary forest succession series. This study suggests that different assembly mechanisms operate on the EM fungal community at different stages in secondary subtropical forest succession., (© 2014 The Authors New Phytologist © 2014 New Phytologist Trust.)

Knowledge of the changes in arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi is fundamental for understanding the success of exotic plant invasions in natural ecosystems. In this study, AM fungal colonization and spore community were examined along an invasive gradient of the exotic plant Eupatorium adenophorum in a secondary forest in southwestern China. With increasing E. adenophorum invasion, the density of arbuscules in the roots of E. adenophorum significantly increased, but the AM root colonization rate and the densities of vesicles and hyphal coils in roots of E. adenophorum were not significantly different. A total of 29 AM fungi belonging to nine genera were identified based on spore morphology. Claroideoglomus etunicatum, Funneliformis geosporus, and Glomus aggregatum were the most common AM fungal species. The E. adenophorum invasion significantly decreased the AM fungal spore density in the soil. Furthermore, with increasing of E. adenophorum invasion the spore densities of C. etunicatum, G. aggregatum, and G. arenarium significantly decreased, whereas F. geosporus significantly increased. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling demonstrated that the AM fungus community composition was significantly different (P=0.003) in the different invasive levels of E. adenophorum, and significantly correlated with plant species richness, soil total P, and soil NO3 (-)-N. The results suggest that the alteration in AM fungus community might be caused by E. adenophorum invasion via changing the local plant community and soil properties in a Chinese secondary forest ecosystem.

Ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungal communities of Quercus liaotungensis of different ages (seedlings, young trees and mature trees) in the growing seasons (June and September) between 2007 and 2009 were studied in a temperate forest of northern China. A total of 66 ECM fungal taxa were identified based on ECM morphotyping, PCR-RFLP, and DNA sequence data. Of these fungal taxa, 51 were Basidiomycetes (77.3%) and 15 were Ascomycetes (22.7%). Cenococcum geophilum was the dominant species. Thelephoraceae (16 taxa), Sebacinaceae (12 taxa) and Russulaceae (seven taxa) were the most species-rich and abundant ECM fungi, accounting for 19.5%, 17.6% and 8.3% of the total ECM root tips, respectively. Results of multiple response permutation procedure (MRPP) analysis indicated that there were marginally significant effects of tree ages (A = 0.01801, P = 0.054) and growing seasons (A = 0.01908, P = 0.064) on the ECM fungal species composition of Q. liaotungensis in a temperate forest.

Chemical investigation on an endolichenic fungal strain Scopulariopsis sp. led to the isolation of two new naphthalene derivatives, 1-(4'-hydroxy-3',5'-dimethoxy-phenyl)-1,8-dimethoxynaphthalen-2(1H)-one (1) and 1,8-dimethoxynaphthalen-2-ol (2). Their structures were determined by spectroscopic techniques (UV, IR, MS, 1D, and 2D NMR).

Endophytic fungi associated with Pinus tabulaeformis Carr. were investigated in the Dongling Mountains of Beijing. A total of 16,200 tissue segments of P. tabulaeformis from four sample collections were processed, and 10,659 fungal isolates were recovered. The overall colonization and isolation rates of endophytic fungi from high to low were spring > winter > autumn > summer and in different tissues were bark > needle > xylem, irrespective of sampling seasons. The colonization rates of endophytic fungi of needles increased with age in the four sample collections. There were no significant differences of the colonization rates of endophytic fungi among 1-, 2-, and 3-year-old bark and xylem, except for significantly lower colonization rates in 1-year-old bark than in 2- and 3-year-old bark in summer. A similar trend of the isolation rates of endophytic fungi occurred. A total of 24 fungal taxa were recorded, of these five taxa Alternaria alternata, Leptostroma sp., Pestalotiopsis besseyi, Phoma lingam, and Phomopsis archeri, were consistently isolated as the common fungi in each sample collection. Our results suggest that some fungi show a certain degree of tissue recurrence or specificity, and the composition of endophytic assemblages is not conspicuously influenced by the seasonal factor.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal diversity was investigated in non-grazed, restored and over-grazed (fenced) plots of a grassland in the Inner Mongolia steppe. Plant cover and variety differ between the plots, being highest in the non-grazed to lowest in the over-grazed plots. A total of 19 AM fungal taxa belonging to six genera were found based on spores isolated from field samples and trap cultures. One belonged to Acaulospora, one to Archaeospora, one to Entrophospora, one to Gigaspora, 12 to Glomus and three to Scutellospora. Glomus was the dominant genus in all plots, and Glomus geosporum was the dominant species, whilst G. albidum and G. etunicatum were dominant in the restored plot. Scutellospora was the second dominant genus in the non-grazed plot with Scutellospora calospora being the dominant species. The mean spore density and mean species richness of AM fungi were significantly decreased by long-term over-grazing. The Sorenson's similarity coefficients of AM fungal community composition ranged from 0.5 to 0.64 among the three types of plot management. The results suggest that the AM fungal diversity is greatly affected by long-term over-grazing and that fencing of degraded areas partly restores plant cover and AM fungal diversity in grassland ecosystems.

Spatial patterns of ectomycorrhizal fungi, ectomycorrhizal plants, and non-ectomycorrhizal plants were investigated in a natural subtropical forest using second-order analysis. The results of spatial pattern analysis showed that the degree of clumping of woody plants and ectomycorrhizal sporocarps were correlated. There was a significantly positive correlation of relative aggregation indices between ectomycorrhizal fungi and both non-ectomycorrhizal trees and ectomycorrhizal saplings. Correlations between percentage of ectomycorrhizal trees and sporocarp occurrence of ectomycorrhizal fungi and between diversities of woody plants and ectomycorrhizal fungi were distance-dependent or scale-related. A significantly high percentage of ectomycorrhizal trees was found only at relatively short distance from ectomycorrhizal fungal sporocarps, and significantly positive correlation of the diversity between woody plants and ectomycorrhizal fungi was found only at relative long distance, which implied that ectomycorrhizal sporocarps prefer ectomycorrhizal-tree-dominant micro-sites at near distances and at relatively large scales, diverse ectomycorrhizal sporocarps could be found in woodlands with high diversity of woody plants. Important factors affecting the spatial distribution, occurrence, and diversity of ectomycorrhizal fungi include spatial pattern of ectomycorrhizal plants and non-ectomycorrhizal plants, percentage of ectomycorrhizal plants, and plant diversity in a natural forest.

We investigated the colonization and diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi associated with 24 moss species belonging to 16 families in China. AM fungal structures, i.e. spores, vesicles, hyphal coils (including intracellular hyphae), or intercellular nonseptate hyphae, were found in 21 moss species. AM fungal structures (vesicles, hyphal coils, and intercellular nonseptate hyphae) were present in tissues of 14 moss species, and spores and nonseptate hyphae on the surface of gametophytes occurred in 15 species. AM fungal structures were present in 11 of the 12 saxicolous moss species and in six of the ten terricolous moss species, but absent in two epixylous moss species. AM fungal structures were only observed in moss stem and leaf tissues, but not in rhizoids. A total of 15 AM fungal taxa were isolated based on trap culture with clover, using 13 moss species as inocula. Of these AM fungi, 11 belonged to Glomus, two to Acaulospora, one to Gigaspora, and one to Paraglomus. Our results suggest that AM fungal structures commonly occur in most mosses and that diverse AM fungi, particularly Glomus species, are associated with mosses.

The population genetic structure of the late-stage fungus Amanita manginiana in a natural forest in Dujiangyan, southwest China was examined over two years using inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. Seven ISSR primers were used and 170 bands were obtained in this population: 134/160 and 135/153 bands were polymorphic for sporocarps of 2001 and 2002, respectively. Each sporocarp represented a single genet in 2001 and 2002, and no identical genets were found between the two years. The results of genetic similarity comparison, using unweighted pair group method with arithmetic means, and analysis of molecular variance, indicated that although genetic variances were mainly within individuals of the same year the genetic variance between years was statistically significant (P<0.001). Relationships between genetic similarity and spatial distance of pairwise sporocarps were also found to be different in the two years. The differences in genetic structure and genetic similarity between individuals of the two years implied that the sporocarps were not likely to be derived from continuous generations, i.e., the sporocarps collected in 2002 were not developed from sexual spores dispersed by sporocarps of 2001. We suggest that the life-cycle traits of ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi should be considered in genetic studies on ECM fungal populations.

The genetic structure of a population of the ectomycorrhizal fungus Russula vinosa was analyzed using random amplified polymorphic DNA markers. Of 121 bands, 114 (94.2%) were polymorphic and there was a high genetic diversity (H=34.98) in this population. Each sporocarp represented a different genet and the genet size was no larger than 1 m. Pairwise sporocarps closer than 10 m had significantly higher genetic similarity. Second-order analysis indicated clumps with a radius of about 20 m in the whole population as well as in three genetic groups, i.e. simple matching similarity coefficients (Sm) 0.5-0.6, 0.6-0.7, and 0.7-0.8, respectively. The high-genetic-similarity group tended to have small clumps with high density, whereas the low-genetic-similarity group tended to have large clumps with low density. The spatial pattern analysis showed that the population mainly spread by short-distance spore dispersal rather than vegetative growth of dicaryophytic mycelia or long-distance spore dispersal.

The colonization and diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi associated with common pteridophytes were investigated in Dujiangyan, southwest China. Of the 34 species of ferns from 16 families collected, 31 were colonized by AM fungi. The mean percentage root length colonized was 15%, ranging from 0 to 47%. Nineteen species formed Paris-type and 10 intermediate-type AM. In two ferns, only rare intercellular non-septate hyphae or vesicles were observed in the roots and AM type could not be determined. Of the 40 AM fungal taxa belonging to five genera isolated from rooting-zone soils, 32 belonged to Glomus, five to Acaulospora, one to Archaeospora, one to Entrophospora, and one to Gigaspora. Acaulospora and Glomus were the dominant genera and Glomus versiforme was the most common species. The average AM spore density was 213 per 100 g air-dried soil and the average species richness was 3.7 AM species per soil sample. There was no correlation between spore density and percentage root length colonized by AM fungi.

The genetic variation and spatial distribution of the ectomycorrhizal fungus Tricholoma terreum was studied in an artificial Larix principis-rupprechtii stand in China. The 33 sporophores studied belonged to distinct genotypes, based on analysis of random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. The genets of T. terreum were small and no larger than 0.5 m. Two major phenetic groups, i.e. eight individuals in group 1 and 25 in group 2, were identified by principal component analysis and the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic means of simple matching coefficients, respectively. The genetic diversity as determined by the Shannon-Weaver diversity index was 4.52 for these 33 sporophores. Furthermore, there was a slightly lower diversity index in group 1 (4.28) than in group 2 (4.46). It is suggested that sexual spore propagation is very important in the life history of T. terreum in this larch forest.