Carbon:Nitrogen:Phosphorus Stoichiometry in Fungi: A Meta-Analysis
Surveys of carbon:nitrogen:phosphorus ratios are available now for major groups of biota and for various aquatic and terrestrial biomes. However, while fungi play an important role in nutrient cycling in ecosystems, relatively little is known about their C:N:P stoichiometry and how it varies across...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2017-07-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Microbiology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmicb.2017.01281/full |
| _version_ | 1819130539234295808 |
|---|---|
| author | Ji Zhang Ji Zhang James J. Elser James J. Elser |
| author_facet | Ji Zhang Ji Zhang James J. Elser James J. Elser |
| author_sort | Ji Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Surveys of carbon:nitrogen:phosphorus ratios are available now for major groups of biota and for various aquatic and terrestrial biomes. However, while fungi play an important role in nutrient cycling in ecosystems, relatively little is known about their C:N:P stoichiometry and how it varies across taxonomic groups, functional guilds, and environmental conditions. Here we present the first systematic compilation of C:N:P data for fungi including four phyla (Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Glomeromycota, and Zygomycota). The C, N, and P contents (percent of dry mass) of fungal biomass varied from 38 to 57%, 0.23 to 15%, and 0.040 to 5.5%, respectively. Median C:N:P stoichiometry for fungi was 250:16:1 (molar), remarkably similar to the canonical Redfield values. However, we found extremely broad variation in fungal C:N:P ratios around the central tendencies in C:N:P ratios. Lower C:P and N:P ratios were found in Ascomycota fungi than in Basidiomycota fungi while significantly lower C:N ratios (p < 0.05) and higher N:P ratios (p < 0.01) were found in ectomycorrhizal fungi than in saprotrophs. Furthermore, several fungal stoichiometric ratios were strongly correlated with geographic and abiotic environmental factors, especially latitude, precipitation, and temperature. The results have implications for understanding the roles that fungi play in function in symbioses and in soil nutrient cycling. Further work is needed on the effects of actual in situ growth conditions of fungal growth on stoichiometry in the mycelium. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T09:01:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-eebef18938da44788d664011223691d9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-302X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T09:01:13Z |
| publishDate | 2017-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Microbiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-eebef18938da44788d664011223691d92022-12-21T18:31:44ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Microbiology1664-302X2017-07-01810.3389/fmicb.2017.01281263730Carbon:Nitrogen:Phosphorus Stoichiometry in Fungi: A Meta-AnalysisJi Zhang0Ji Zhang1James J. Elser2James J. Elser3Institute of Medicinal Plants, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural SciencesKunming, ChinaSchool of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, TempeAZ, United StatesSchool of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, TempeAZ, United StatesFlathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana, PolsonMT, United StatesSurveys of carbon:nitrogen:phosphorus ratios are available now for major groups of biota and for various aquatic and terrestrial biomes. However, while fungi play an important role in nutrient cycling in ecosystems, relatively little is known about their C:N:P stoichiometry and how it varies across taxonomic groups, functional guilds, and environmental conditions. Here we present the first systematic compilation of C:N:P data for fungi including four phyla (Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Glomeromycota, and Zygomycota). The C, N, and P contents (percent of dry mass) of fungal biomass varied from 38 to 57%, 0.23 to 15%, and 0.040 to 5.5%, respectively. Median C:N:P stoichiometry for fungi was 250:16:1 (molar), remarkably similar to the canonical Redfield values. However, we found extremely broad variation in fungal C:N:P ratios around the central tendencies in C:N:P ratios. Lower C:P and N:P ratios were found in Ascomycota fungi than in Basidiomycota fungi while significantly lower C:N ratios (p < 0.05) and higher N:P ratios (p < 0.01) were found in ectomycorrhizal fungi than in saprotrophs. Furthermore, several fungal stoichiometric ratios were strongly correlated with geographic and abiotic environmental factors, especially latitude, precipitation, and temperature. The results have implications for understanding the roles that fungi play in function in symbioses and in soil nutrient cycling. Further work is needed on the effects of actual in situ growth conditions of fungal growth on stoichiometry in the mycelium.http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmicb.2017.01281/fullelemental compositionfungusguildhomeostasisRedfield ratiosstoichiometry |
| spellingShingle | Ji Zhang Ji Zhang James J. Elser James J. Elser Carbon:Nitrogen:Phosphorus Stoichiometry in Fungi: A Meta-Analysis Frontiers in Microbiology elemental composition fungus guild homeostasis Redfield ratios stoichiometry |
| title | Carbon:Nitrogen:Phosphorus Stoichiometry in Fungi: A Meta-Analysis |
| title_full | Carbon:Nitrogen:Phosphorus Stoichiometry in Fungi: A Meta-Analysis |
| title_fullStr | Carbon:Nitrogen:Phosphorus Stoichiometry in Fungi: A Meta-Analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Carbon:Nitrogen:Phosphorus Stoichiometry in Fungi: A Meta-Analysis |
| title_short | Carbon:Nitrogen:Phosphorus Stoichiometry in Fungi: A Meta-Analysis |
| title_sort | carbon nitrogen phosphorus stoichiometry in fungi a meta analysis |
| topic | elemental composition fungus guild homeostasis Redfield ratios stoichiometry |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmicb.2017.01281/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jizhang carbonnitrogenphosphorusstoichiometryinfungiametaanalysis AT jizhang carbonnitrogenphosphorusstoichiometryinfungiametaanalysis AT jamesjelser carbonnitrogenphosphorusstoichiometryinfungiametaanalysis AT jamesjelser carbonnitrogenphosphorusstoichiometryinfungiametaanalysis |