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Nitrogen supply affects arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization of Artemisia vulgaris in a phosphate-polluted field site

  1. Verena Blanke1,2,*,
  2. Carsten Renker2,
  3. Markus Wagner1,
  4. Kerstin Füllner3,
  5. Matthias Held1,4,
  6. Arnd J. Kuhn3,
  7. François Buscot2

Article first published online: 2 MAR 2005

DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2005.01374.x

Issue

New Phytologist

New Phytologist

Volume 166, Issue 3, pages 981–992, June 2005

Additional Information

How to Cite

Blanke, V., Renker, C., Wagner, M., Füllner, K., Held, M., Kuhn, A. J. and Buscot, F. (2005), Nitrogen supply affects arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization of Artemisia vulgaris in a phosphate-polluted field site. New Phytologist, 166: 981–992. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2005.01374.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Friedrich-Schiller-University of Jena, Institute of Ecology, Jena, Germany;

  2. 2

    University of Leipzig, Institute of Botany, Leipzig, Germany;

  3. 3

    Jülich Research Center, Institute for Phytosphere Research (ICG-III), Jülich, Germany;

  4. 4

    Max-Planck-Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany

*Author for correspondence: Verena Blanke Tel: +49 341 973 8577 Fax: +49 341 973 8599 Email: blanke@uni-leipzig.de

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 2 MAR 2005
  2. Article first published online: 2 MAR 2005
  3. Received: 28 October 2004 Accepted: 22 December 2004

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Keywords:

  • arbuscular mycorrhiza;
  • Artemisia vulgaris;
  • N : P ratio;
  • nitrogen (N);
  • phosphorus (P);
  • root colonization

Summary

  • • 
    Root colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) was investigated in industrially polluted grassland characterized by exceptionally high phosphorus levels (up to 120 g kg−1 soil).
  • • 
    Along a pollution-induced nitrogen gradient, soil and tissue element concentrations of Artemisia vulgaris plants and their mycorrhizal status were determined. Additionally, we compared mycorrhization rates and above-ground biomass of A. vulgaris at N-fertilized and control plots in the N-poor area.
  • • 
    Despite high soil and tissue P concentrations, plants from N-deficient plots, which were characterized by low tissue N concentrations and N : P ratios, were strongly colonized by AMF, whereas at a plot with comparable P levels, but higher soil and plant N concentrations and N : P ratios, mycorrhization rates were significantly lower. Correlation analyses revealed a negative relationship between percentage root colonization of A. vulgaris by AMF and both tissue N concentration and N : P ratio. Accordingly, in the fertilization experiment, control plants had higher mycorrhization rates than N-fertilized plants, whereas the species attained higher biomass at N-fertilized plots.
  • • 
    The results suggest that N deficiency stimulates root colonization by AMF in this extraordinarily P-rich field site.
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