Responses of Fungal Community Structure and Functional Composition to Short-Term Fertilization and Dry Season Irrigation in Eucalyptus urophylla × Eucalyptus grandis Plantation Soils

Abstract

Plantation forests productivity is severely limited by the seasonal drought and fertilization practices in South China. Soil nutrient and water availability influence soil fungal community, functional group diversity and the variation of plant productivity; however, the effects of irrigation and fertilization on fungal responses have rarely been studied. Here, we investigate the responses of fungal community structure and functional groups in Eucalyptus plantation soils to short-term fertilization (F), dry-season irrigation (W), short-term fertilization combined with dry-season irrigation (FW), and control (CK) treatments for ten months. A higher proportion of Basidiomycota was observed in the irrigation and/or fertilization treatments; conversely, lower proportions of Ascomycota and Mucoromycotina were observed in the only irrigation and fertilization treatments. Higher soil carbon contents and symbiotroph fungi (mainly Ectomycorrhizas) proportion were detected in the FW treatment, while low proportions of saprophytic and pathogenic fungi were observed in the FW treatment when compared with those in other treatments. These results may indicate that Eucalyptus tree growth under irrigation and fertilization condition was better than under fertilization only, irrigation only, or neither management. The results highlight that short-term fertilization and dry-season irrigation can shift fungal community structure and functional groups by regulating available soil moisture and nutrients. They also provide a theoretical basis for the development of more appropriate management approaches in the early stages of forest plantation.