MYCOLab Ai Logo - gold and army green

Variation of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus content in fungi reflects their ecology and phylogeny

Summary

Scientists analyzed the composition of different mushroom and fungal fruiting bodies to understand how their nutrient content varies. They found that fungi living in soil have much more nitrogen and phosphorus than those decomposing wood, likely because wood naturally contains very few nutrients. The study shows that both where a fungus lives and its evolutionary history affect how much nutrients it accumulates in its tissues.

Background

Fungi play crucial roles in nutrient cycling and decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems, but their nutrient content varies considerably depending on habitat and ecological guild. The availability of nitrogen and phosphorus differs significantly between soil, plant litter, and dead wood environments where fungi thrive.

Objective

To determine the carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus content of 214 fungal species fruiting bodies and assess how phylogeny and ecological guild membership (soil saprotrophs, wood saprotrophs, and ectomycorrhizal fungi) influence fungal biomass nutrient composition.

Results

Carbon content showed little variation (415±25 mg/g), while N (46±20 mg/g) and P (5.5±3.0 mg/g) contents varied within one order of magnitude. Soil saprotrophic fungi had significantly higher N and P content compared to wood saprotrophs and ectomycorrhizal fungi. Significant phylogenetic signal was detected for N and P content, with greater conservation at lower taxonomic ranks.

Conclusion

Both ecology and phylogeny determine nutrient content in fungal biomass, with ecological guild membership showing stronger effects than phylogenetic relationships. These findings have implications for understanding decomposition rates and the impact of nitrogen deposition on fungal communities and soil carbon cycling.
  • Published in:Frontiers in Microbiology,
  • Study Type:Observational Study,
  • Source: PMID: 38835487
Scroll to Top