Changes in Soil Ectomycorrhizal Fungi Community in Oak Forests along the Urban–Rural Gradient

Abstract

The ectomycorrhizal fungi communities of forests are closely correlated with forest health and ecosystem functions. To investigate the structure and composition of ectomycorrhizal fungi communities in oak forest soil and their driving factors along the urban–rural gradient, we set up a Quercus acutissima forest transect and collected samples from the center to the edge of Jinan city (urban, suburban, rural). The results showed that the ectomycorrhizal fungal community composition at the phyla level mainly included Basidiomycota and Ascomycota in three sites. At the genus level, the community compositions of ectomycorrhizal fungi, along the urban–rural gradient, exhibited significant differences. Inocybe, Russula, Scleroderma, Tomentella, Amanita and Tuber were the dominant genera in these Quercus acutissima forests. Additionally, the diversity of ectomycorrhizal fungi was the highest in rural Quercus acutissima forest, followed by urban and suburban areas. Key ectomycorrhizal fungi species, such as Tuber, Russula and Sordariales, were identified among three forests. We also found that pH, soil organic matter and ammonium nitrogen were the main driving factors of the differences in ectomycorrhizal fungi community composition and diversity along the urban–rural gradient. Overall, the differences in composition and diversity in urban–rural gradient forest were driven by the differences in soil physicochemical properties resulting from the forest location.