The role of seedling nutrient status on development of ectomycorrhizal fungal communities in two soil types following surface mining disturbance

• Restoration of heavily disturbed sites often begins with seedling establishment.
• Towards improving survival, seedlings can be nutrient-loaded.
• Root colonization by ectomycorrhizal fungi is higher on nutrient-loaded seedlings.
• Abundance of fungal species is influenced by soil type.

Severe disturbances, such as those caused by surface mining, sever connections between ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi and their hosts. In this study, we examined the importance of internal plant nutritional status and soil type on the abundance and composition of ECM communities in newly established reclamation areas. Ectomycorrhizal fungi were examined on two aspen (Populus tremuloides) seedling stock types that differed in root nutrient concentrations at time of planting. Stock types were planted into two salvaged soil types, an upland forest soil and a lowland peat-mineral soil mix, placed on a reclaimed mining site. Two growing seasons following planting, ECM fungal richness and abundance was low with only four operational taxonomic units identified across the reclamation site. Initial seedling nutrient status affected the total amount of ECM fungi on seedling roots; seedlings with initially high root nutrient reserves (N, P and starch) had more root tips colonized by ECM fungi than seedlings with initially lower nutrient tissue concentrations. Soil type did not affect total amount of ECM colonization; however, the relative abundance of an individual species, Cenococcum geophilum, was influenced by soil type. Seedling nutrient reserves, independent of soil nutrition, affects the amount of ECM root colonization, while soil type affects the relative abundance of some ECM fungi colonizing roots.