Increased air humidity and understory composition shape short root traits and the colonizing ectomycorrhizal fungal community in silver birch stands

Our results suggest that rising air humidity causes a morphological stress response in EcM short roots. Young trees show the ability to adapt to climate change with great plasticity by modifying short root length, diameter and specific root length (SRL). Humidification leads to a shift in the fungal colonizers towards the dominance of hydrophilic taxa, which may alter ecosystem functioning.