Soil legacies of tree species composition in mature forest affect tree seedlings’ performance

Dhiedt, Els ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2575-6800; Baeten, Lander; De Smedt, Pallieter; Jaroszewicz, Bogdan; Verheyen, Kris. 2024 Soil legacies of tree species composition in mature forest affect tree seedlings’ performance. Ecosystems. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-024-00923-y

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Abstract/Summary

Trees affect the biotic and abiotic properties of the soil in which they grow. Tree species-specific effects can persist for a long time, even after the trees have been removed. We investigated to what extent such soil legacies of different tree species may impact tree seedlings in their emergence and growth. We performed a plant–soil feedback experiment, using soil that was conditioned in plots that vary in tree species composition in Białowieża Forest, Poland. Soil was taken from plots varying in proportion of birch, hornbeam, pine, and oak. In each soil, seeds of the same four target species were sown in pots. Seedling emergence and growth were monitored for one growing season. To further explore biotic implications of soil legacies, ectomycorrhizal root tip colonization of oak, a keystone forest species, was determined. We found no effect of soil legacies of tree species on the emergence measures. We, however, found a clear negative effect of pine legacies on the total biomass of all four seedling species. In addition, we found relationships between the presence of pine and soil fertility and between soil fertility and root tip colonization. Root tip colonization was positively correlated with the biomass of oak seedlings. We conclude that tree species can leave legacies that persist after that species has been removed. These legacies influence the growth of the next generation of trees likely via abiotic and biotic pathways. Thus, the choice of species in today’s forest may also matter for the structure and composition of future forests.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-024-00923-y
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Soils and Land Use (Science Area 2017-)
ISSN:	1432-9840
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.
Additional Keywords:	FunDivEUROPE, pot experiment, soil legacy, plant–soil feedback, Betula pendula, Carpinus betulus, Pinus sylvestris, Quercus robur
NORA Subject Terms:	Agriculture and Soil Science Botany
Related URLs:	Dataset
Date made live:	09 Aug 2024 15:03 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/537831

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