Authors: Joshua D Seeds John G Bishop
Publish Date: 2009/02/24
Volume: 323, Issue: 1-2, Pages: 225-233
Abstract
The ability of 23 year old volcanic soils from Mount St Helens USA to nodulate actinorhizal Sitka alder Alnus viridis ssp sinuata was studied by estimating Frankia Inoculation Unit density FIU in four types of primary successional communities using a hostplant bioassay Rhizospheric Mycelial Inoculation Unit MIU density and the effects of inoculation with alder soil and phosphorus P on seedling growth were also examined FIU and MIU were highest in alder thickets lower in lupin patch and riparian zone sites and lowest with no FIUs in bare areas Seedling dry mass was higher in treatments inoculated with alder soil but not with P addition while rootshoot mass ratios decreased with both inoculation and P The extremely low densities of suitable symbionts in sparsely vegetated primary successional areas at Mount St Helens may explain the surprisingly slow rate of spread of alder from nearby seed sourcesThe authors thank friends family and colleagues who supported this work especially Douglas and Barbara Seeds Sally Hacker Jonathan Titus and David Myrold The manuscript was greatly improved by advice of four anonymous reviewers This work was supported by grants from the Northwest Orchid Society and National Science Foundation DEB0089843
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