Ectomycorrhizal fungi: key drivers of carbon and nitrogen cycling in alpine ecosystems

doi:10.17521/cjpe.2025.0350

Abstract

Abstract:

Alpine ecosystems, characterized by high latitudes, high altitudes, cold climates, and extensive permafrost, are highly sensitive to global climate change. Ectomycorrhizal fungi (ECMF) represent a major group of symbiotic microorganisms associated with dominant plant species in these ecosystems. By forming unique ectomycorrhizal structures with host plants, these fungi establish mutualistic relationships that promote seedling growth, enhance water and nutrient uptake, and improve host resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Through dual pathways of “carbon input-stabilization” and “nitrogen mineralization-uptake”, ECMF regulate material cycling and serve as key drivers of carbon and nitrogen dynamics. This review summarizes the critical roles of ECMF in carbon and nitrogen cycling within alpine ecosystems and their responses to climate change. It emphasizes the importance of preserving ECMF diversity and key functional groups to maintain ecosystem stability and nutrient processing under global change scenarios. Such conservation efforts provide essential scientific support for protecting vulnerable alpine habitats and mitigating climate-related threats. Future research should further investigate the response mechanisms and feedback regulations of ECMF functional traits and diversity under multiple-factor climate change. Integrating mycorrhizal ecology into the “One Health” framework will better serve the holistic health of both ecosystem and human societies.

Key words: ectomycorrhizal fungi, alpine ecosystem, carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle, climate change

TAN Qiu-Yan, ZHANG Qing, GAO Cheng, CHU Hai-Yan, YANG Teng. Ectomycorrhizal fungi: key drivers of carbon and nitrogen cycling in alpine ecosystems[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2026, 50(3): 584-599.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.17521/cjpe.2025.0350

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2026/V50/I3/584

Figures/Tables 3

Fig. 1 Role of ectomycorrhizal fungi (ECMF) in carbon and nitrogen cycling in alpine ecosystems. A, Role of ECMF in carbon cycling. ① Input of photosynthetic carbon into the soil organic carbon pool via ECMF; ② ECMF enhance ecosystem carbon input by improving plant photosynthetic efficiency; ③ Gadgil effect: ECMF compete with saprotrophic fungi for nitrogen, thereby suppressing litter decomposition; ④ Input of ECMF mycelia necromass, exudates, and metabolites into the soil organic carbon pool (entombing effect); ⑤ Transformation of ECMF mycelia necromass and exudates into mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC), which stabilizes the soil organic carbon pool; ⑥ Soil organic carbon pools are decomposed through enzymatic decomposition and other processes. Green arrows represent carbon flow; brown arrows represent fungal-mediated processes. MCP: Microbial carbon pump. B, Role of ECMF in nitrogen cycling. ① Proteases and chitinases secreted by ECMF decompose soil organic nitrogen into amino acids and chitin-derived nitrogen for plant uptake; ② Plants directly absorb a small amount of organic nitrogen via roots; ③ A large amount of inorganic nitrogen is supplied to plants through root uptake; ④ Plants absorb low-molecular-weight organic nitrogen via ECMF; ⑤ A small amount of inorganic nitrogen is supplied to plants through ECMF mycelia; ⑥ Amino acids and chitin-derived nitrogen are further mineralized into inorganic nitrogen. Red and blue arrows represent organic and inorganic nitrogen flow, respectively; solid lines indicate ECMF-mediated pathways, and dashed lines indicate pathways not involving ECMF.

Table 1 Impacts of climate change factors on carbon and nitrogen cycling processes driven by ectomycorrhizal fungi (ECMF) in alpine ecosystems

全球变化因子 Global change factor	生态系统/地点 Ecosystem/Location	碳氮循环过程变化 Changes in C/N cycling processes	参考文献 Reference
全球变暖 Global warming	北方森林 Boreal forest	限制地下外生菌根网络碳氮养分通道的形成和发展 Restrict the formation and development of underground ectomycorrhizal network pathways for carbon and nitrogen transfer	Fernandez et al., 2023
全球变暖 Global warming	北极苔原 Arctic tundra	增加外生菌根真菌菌丝体生物量, 更多光合碳经外生菌根真菌进入土壤; 菌丝体氮含量提高, 外生菌根真菌介导的氮矿化过程加强 Increase mycelial biomass of ECMF, and more photosynthetic carbon entering the soil via ECMF; enhance nitrogen content in mycelia and strengthen the ECMF-mediated nitrogen mineralization process	Clemmensen et al., 2006; Deslippe et al., 2011; Morgado et al., 2015
氮沉降 Nitrogen deposition	北方森林 Boreal forest	减少光合碳流向外生菌根真菌; 减少外生菌根真菌对有机氮的矿化 Reduce the flow of photosynthetic carbon to ECMF; reduce the mineralization of organic nitrogen by ECMF	Högberg et al., 2010; Jörgensen et al., 2024
CO₂浓度升高 Elevated CO₂concentration	北方森林 Boreal forest	增加外生菌根真菌残体碳的积累, 促进土壤碳固持; 增加外生菌根真菌的氮获取能力, 促进植物的氮吸收 Increase the accumulation of necromass carbon from ECMF, promoting soil carbon sequestration; enhance the nitrogen acquisition capacity of ECMF, facilitating plant nitrogen uptake	Liu et al., 2024; Reay et al., 2025
干旱 Drought	北方森林 Boreal forest	减少外生菌根真菌的定殖, 减弱加吉尔效应, 加速土壤有机质分解 Reduce colonization by ECMF, weaken the Gadgil effect, and therefore accelerate the decomposition of soil organic matter	Kilpeläinen et al., 2017; Nieves et al., 2024; Koelemeijer et al., 2025

Table 1 Impacts of climate change factors on carbon and nitrogen cycling processes driven by ectomycorrhizal fungi (ECMF) in alpine ecosystems

全球变化因子 Global change factor	生态系统/地点 Ecosystem/Location	碳氮循环过程变化 Changes in C/N cycling processes	参考文献 Reference
全球变暖 Global warming	北方森林 Boreal forest	限制地下外生菌根网络碳氮养分通道的形成和发展 Restrict the formation and development of underground ectomycorrhizal network pathways for carbon and nitrogen transfer	Fernandez et al., 2023
全球变暖 Global warming	北极苔原 Arctic tundra	增加外生菌根真菌菌丝体生物量, 更多光合碳经外生菌根真菌进入土壤; 菌丝体氮含量提高, 外生菌根真菌介导的氮矿化过程加强 Increase mycelial biomass of ECMF, and more photosynthetic carbon entering the soil via ECMF; enhance nitrogen content in mycelia and strengthen the ECMF-mediated nitrogen mineralization process	Clemmensen et al., 2006; Deslippe et al., 2011; Morgado et al., 2015
氮沉降 Nitrogen deposition	北方森林 Boreal forest	减少光合碳流向外生菌根真菌; 减少外生菌根真菌对有机氮的矿化 Reduce the flow of photosynthetic carbon to ECMF; reduce the mineralization of organic nitrogen by ECMF	Högberg et al., 2010; Jörgensen et al., 2024
CO₂浓度升高 Elevated CO₂concentration	北方森林 Boreal forest	增加外生菌根真菌残体碳的积累, 促进土壤碳固持; 增加外生菌根真菌的氮获取能力, 促进植物的氮吸收 Increase the accumulation of necromass carbon from ECMF, promoting soil carbon sequestration; enhance the nitrogen acquisition capacity of ECMF, facilitating plant nitrogen uptake	Liu et al., 2024; Reay et al., 2025
干旱 Drought	北方森林 Boreal forest	减少外生菌根真菌的定殖, 减弱加吉尔效应, 加速土壤有机质分解 Reduce colonization by ECMF, weaken the Gadgil effect, and therefore accelerate the decomposition of soil organic matter	Kilpeläinen et al., 2017; Nieves et al., 2024; Koelemeijer et al., 2025

Fig. 2 Ectomycorrhizal fungi (ECMF) function as vital links between soil, forest, food, and human health. By forming symbiotic relationships with plant roots, ECMF enhance soil carbon sequestration and stabilize soil structure, while also playing key roles in tree growth promotion and disease resistance, thereby contributing to soil and forest health. Healthy soil supports the growth of healthy plants, which provide nutritious food and promote human health; healthy forests further enhance human well-being by delivering diverse ecosystem services. Additionally, the fruiting bodies of ECMF (such as matsutake, truffles, and porcini) possess edible and medicinal value.

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