The effect of drought and season on root life span in temperate arbuscular mycorrhizal and ectomycorrhizal tree species

摘要

1. Fine roots play a key role in carbon (C) and nutrient cycling, since fine root life span drives soil organic C input and, thus, nitrogen (N) availability. The two main fungal symbioses found in temperate forest trees, ectomycorrhizae (ECM) and arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM), induce different root morphological changes upon infection, but the consequences for root life span are not clear.