Alternative stable states of the forest mycobiome are maintained through positive feedbacks

Averill, Colin; Fortunel, Claire; Maynard, Daniel S.; van den Hoogen, Johan; Dietze, Michael C.; Bhatnagar, Jennifer M.; Crowther, Thomas W.

doi:10.1038/s41559-022-01663-9

Title: Alternative stable states of the forest mycobiome are maintained through positive feedbacks

Journal Article · 24 February 2022 · Nature Ecology and Evolution

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-022-01663-9 · OSTI ID:2570211

^[1];

^[2]; Maynard, Daniel S. ^[1]; van den Hoogen, Johan ^[1];

^[3];

^[1]

Eidgenoessische Technische Hochschule (ETH), Zurich (Switzerland)
Montpellier Univ. (France); French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE), Champenoux (France); Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) (France)
Boston Univ., MA (United States)

Most trees on Earth form a symbiosis with either arbuscular mycorrhizal or ectomycorrhizal fungi. By forming common mycorrhizal networks, actively modifying the soil environment and other ecological mechanisms, these contrasting symbioses may generate positive feedbacks that favour their own mycorrhizal strategy (that is, the con-mycorrhizal strategy) at the expense of the alternative strategy. Positive con-mycorrhizal feedbacks set the stage for alternative stable states of forests and their fungi, where the presence of different forest mycorrhizal strategies is determined not only by external environmental conditions but also mycorrhiza-mediated feedbacks embedded within the forest ecosystem. Here, in this work, we test this hypothesis using thousands of US forest inventory sites to show that arbuscular and ectomycorrhizal tree recruitment and survival exhibit positive con-mycorrhizal density dependence. Data-driven simulations show that these positive feedbacks are sufficient in magnitude to generate and maintain alternative stable states of the forest mycobiome. Given the links between forest mycorrhizal strategy and carbon sequestration potential, the presence of mycorrhizal-mediated alternative stable states affects how we forecast forest composition, carbon sequestration and terrestrial climate feedbacks.

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Research Organization:: Boston Univ., MA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC)

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0020403

OSTI ID:: 2570211

Journal Information:: Nature Ecology and Evolution, Journal Name: Nature Ecology and Evolution Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 6; ISSN 2397-334X

Publisher:: Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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