Project Details
Projekt
Functional Role of Mycorrhiza in the Competition for Water and Nitrogen
Applicant
Professorin Dr. Andrea Polle
Subject Area
Ecology and Biodiversity of Plants and Ecosystems
Term
from 2006 to 2011
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 27071968
Beech trees form symbiotic associations with different species of ectomycorrhizal fungi. It is hypothetised that these fungi form characteristic communities, adapted to the prevailing environmental conditions improving the supply of nitrogen and water to the host tree. To test this hypothesis, mycorrhizal abundance and species composition in beech forests differing in nitrogen exposition and drought will be characterised and the role of mycorrhiza in nitrogen nutrition will be determined by measuring N-uptake of roots, hyphae and mycorrhizae using mesh bags and stable nitrogen isotopes under different field-experimental treatments. Shifts in mycorrhizal communities in response to changes in nitrogen and water supply to beech will be tested under controlled conditions in phytotrons and glasshouses. To the test the function of mycorrhizae for nitrogen nutrition and water supply to beech in comparison with other microorganisms, N-supply and water status of non-mycorrhizal and mycorrhizal beech will be investigated in growth boxes with separated root and hyphal compartments.
DFG Programme
Research Units
