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More exceptions than rules: Variable effects of ectomycorrhizal fungi on leaf litter decomposition in temperate pine forests.

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Title: More exceptions than rules: Variable effects of ectomycorrhizal fungi on leaf litter decomposition in temperate pine forests.
Authors: DeLancey, Lang C.1,2 (AUTHOR) ldelance@umn.edu, McCarthy, Moira J.1,3 (AUTHOR), Peterson, Klara1,4 (AUTHOR), Yeam, Jay J.5 (AUTHOR), Kaminsky, Laurel6,7 (AUTHOR), Smith, Matthew E.6 (AUTHOR), Peay, Kabir G.5,8 (AUTHOR), Hobbie, Sarah E.1 (AUTHOR), Kennedy, Peter G.1,4 (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Ecology. Dec2025, Vol. 113 Issue 12, p3799-3811. 13p.
Subject Terms: *Ecosystems, *Nitrogen, *Temperate forests, *Organic compound content of soils, Ectomycorrhizal fungi, Plant litter decomposition, Plant-fungus relationships, Saprophytes
Abstract: Ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi have long been thought to reduce litter decomposition in nitrogen (N)‐limited ecosystems by outcompeting saprotrophs for litter N (a phenomenon known as the 'Gadgil effect'). However, recent research has called the generality of this effect into question, by demonstrating that ECM fungi can increase or decrease organic matter decomposition in different forests. The ecological factors driving such variation in the size and direction of ECM fungal effects on decomposition remain unclear.Here, we tested the hypothesis that ECM fungi would suppress decomposition of N‐poor, recalcitrant litter more in forests with lower N‐availability by exacerbating saprotrophic N limitation. We conducted an in situ ECM fungal and root reduction experiment (via soil trenching) in nine pine forests across three US states, which varied in soil and litter N content, climate and pine host (Pinus muricata in California, P. elliottii in Florida and P. resinosa in Minnesota). In each site, we decomposed needle litter from (1) a pine species native to that site and (2) a common litter, P. strobus, for 1 year.Contrary to our expectations, ECM fungi either stimulated (California) or had no effect on (Florida and Minnesota) pine needle decomposition. Across sites, ECM fungal stimulation of decomposition did increase with total soil N content, but was unrelated to inorganic N availability. Furthermore, despite previous work suggesting that competition for N structures ECM fungal–saprotroph interactions, trenching effects on decomposition did not differ between pine litter types, despite large differences in initial litter C:N ratios, recalcitrance and net litter N immobilization.Synthesis. Taken together, our results add to a growing body of evidence that the 'Gadgil effect' is not universal, even in the N‐poor litter of temperate pine forests where it was first described and is often invoked. Furthermore, the inconsistency of relationships between trenching effects with different metrics of decomposer N supply and demand calls into question the central role of N in structuring fungal interguild interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: More exceptions than rules: Variable effects of ectomycorrhizal fungi on leaf litter decomposition in temperate pine forests.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22DeLancey%2C+Lang+C%2E%22">DeLancey, Lang C.</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> ldelance@umn.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22McCarthy%2C+Moira+J%2E%22">McCarthy, Moira J.</searchLink><relatesTo>1,3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Peterson%2C+Klara%22">Peterson, Klara</searchLink><relatesTo>1,4</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yeam%2C+Jay+J%2E%22">Yeam, Jay J.</searchLink><relatesTo>5</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kaminsky%2C+Laurel%22">Kaminsky, Laurel</searchLink><relatesTo>6,7</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Smith%2C+Matthew+E%2E%22">Smith, Matthew E.</searchLink><relatesTo>6</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Peay%2C+Kabir+G%2E%22">Peay, Kabir G.</searchLink><relatesTo>5,8</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hobbie%2C+Sarah+E%2E%22">Hobbie, Sarah E.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kennedy%2C+Peter+G%2E%22">Kennedy, Peter G.</searchLink><relatesTo>1,4</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Ecology%22">Journal of Ecology</searchLink>. Dec2025, Vol. 113 Issue 12, p3799-3811. 13p.
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– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi have long been thought to reduce litter decomposition in nitrogen (N)‐limited ecosystems by outcompeting saprotrophs for litter N (a phenomenon known as the 'Gadgil effect'). However, recent research has called the generality of this effect into question, by demonstrating that ECM fungi can increase or decrease organic matter decomposition in different forests. The ecological factors driving such variation in the size and direction of ECM fungal effects on decomposition remain unclear.Here, we tested the hypothesis that ECM fungi would suppress decomposition of N‐poor, recalcitrant litter more in forests with lower N‐availability by exacerbating saprotrophic N limitation. We conducted an in situ ECM fungal and root reduction experiment (via soil trenching) in nine pine forests across three US states, which varied in soil and litter N content, climate and pine host (Pinus muricata in California, P. elliottii in Florida and P. resinosa in Minnesota). In each site, we decomposed needle litter from (1) a pine species native to that site and (2) a common litter, P. strobus, for 1 year.Contrary to our expectations, ECM fungi either stimulated (California) or had no effect on (Florida and Minnesota) pine needle decomposition. Across sites, ECM fungal stimulation of decomposition did increase with total soil N content, but was unrelated to inorganic N availability. Furthermore, despite previous work suggesting that competition for N structures ECM fungal–saprotroph interactions, trenching effects on decomposition did not differ between pine litter types, despite large differences in initial litter C:N ratios, recalcitrance and net litter N immobilization.Synthesis. Taken together, our results add to a growing body of evidence that the 'Gadgil effect' is not universal, even in the N‐poor litter of temperate pine forests where it was first described and is often invoked. Furthermore, the inconsistency of relationships between trenching effects with different metrics of decomposer N supply and demand calls into question the central role of N in structuring fungal interguild interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1111/1365-2745.70197
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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      Pagination:
        PageCount: 13
        StartPage: 3799
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Ecosystems
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Nitrogen
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Temperate forests
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Organic compound content of soils
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      – SubjectFull: Ectomycorrhizal fungi
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      – SubjectFull: Plant litter decomposition
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      – SubjectFull: Plant-fungus relationships
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Saprophytes
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      – TitleFull: More exceptions than rules: Variable effects of ectomycorrhizal fungi on leaf litter decomposition in temperate pine forests.
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              Text: Dec2025
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