Strategies of carbon and nitrogen acquisition by saprotrophic and ectomycorrhizal fungi in Finnish boreal Picea abies-dominated forests.

We compared the δC and δN of forest material with an extensive sporocarp collection to elucidate the role of litter, wood and soil as fungal carbon and nitrogen sources in Finnish boreal Picea abies-dominated forests. Ectomycorrhizal Hydnum and Cortinarius had higher δN than other ectomycorrhizal fungi, suggesting use of N-enriched, deeper nitrogen. Russula had lower δN than other ectomycorrhizal fungi and resembled some litter decay genera, suggesting use of litter-derived nitrogen. There was little variation in δN among other genera of ectomycorrhizal fungi, indicating limited functional diversity in nitrogen use. Saprotrophic Leotia, Gymnopus, Hypholoma, Pholiota, Rhodocollybia and Calocera had δN values similar to ectomycorrhizal fungi, indicating overlap in use of older nitrogen from soil or roots or use of newly fixed nitrogen. Genera of litter and wood decay fungi varied up to 6‰ in δC and 10‰ in δN, suggesting large differences in carbon and nitrogen sources and processing. Similar δC between white and brown rot wood decay fungi also suggest that white rot fungi do not use lignin-derived carbon. Together, these δC and δN patterns of fungi from Finnish boreal forests enhance our knowledge of fungal functional diversity and indicate broad use of litter, wood and soil resources.