Duration of herbivore removal and environmental stress affect the ectomycorrhizae of pinyon pines

Journal Article · Sun Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1995 · Ecology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2307/1941686· OSTI ID:121010

Gehring, C A; Whitham, T G ^[1]

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1. Northern Arizona Univ., Flagstaff, AZ (United States)

The mutualistic mycorrhizal symbionts of plants have shown mixed responses to herbivory; they either decrease, increase, or show no measureable change. We examined the ectomycorrhizal responses of pinyon pine (Pinus Edulis) exposed to 1 yr of simulated herbivory in two environments, one stressful and one less so. We also compared levels of ectomycorrhizal colonization and conelet production in pinyons from which an important insect herbivore had been removed from either 1 or 10 yr. Pinyons that grew in more stressful cinder soils experienced by a plant could affect whether mycorrhizal reductions results form herbivory. In addition the reductions in ectomycorrihizal colonization that resulted from chronic herbivory remained for a full year following herbivore removal even through conelet production increased 250-fold in the same time period. Our findings regarding the role of environmental stress and duration of herbivory in affecting mycorrhizal responses may help explain the variable responses found in other systems. 21 refs., 2 figs., 1 tab.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: FG03-94ER61849
• OSTI ID: 121010
• Journal Information: Ecology, Journal Name: Ecology Journal Issue: 7 Vol. 76; ISSN 0012-9658; ISSN ECOLAR
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
GRAZING
MYCORRHIZAS
PINES
PLANT GROWTH
SOILS