Forest plant cover and mineral type determine the diversity and composition of mineral-colonizing fungal communities

Soil fungi play a fundamental role in the cycling of nutrients and tree nutrition forests. As mycorrhizal are closely associated with their host trees provide them essential base cations phosphorus, we hypothesize that they actively mine soil minerals transfer nutritive content to host. Therefore, expected be important colonizers mineral surfaces relative other fungal trophic guilds. To test this hypothesis, 50 μm nylon mesh bags were filled three different types (i.e. calcite, apatite obsidian) buried same colonized by forest stands beech, Corsican pine coppice standards). After an situ incubation period 29 months topsoil, dissolution was detectable bags, analysis communities therefore undertaken. Minerals presented lower biomass than surrounding bulk no difference between tested observed. The high-throughput sequencing (HTS) approach showed differed among stands, but each case, taxa significantly from those soil. lesser extent, further varied types. Overall, inference analyses suggested two groups plant-associated fungi, namely ectomycorrhizal endophytic major colonizers. Saprophytes also appeared enriched on comparatively Together, our data reveal at local scale mineral-associated first determined plant cover then type mineral.