Effects of inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus supply on nitrogen aquisition from alanine by birch seedlings in symbiosis with Paxillus involutus

Northern forests are exposed to relatively high ammonia inputs due to high atmospheric deposition and the common practise of forest fertilization. It is not known how increased soil NH4 +concentrations affect acquisition of symbiosis-mediated N from organic sources. We examined the effect of inorganic N and P availability on N acquisition from alanine by 43 weeks old birch (Betula pendula) seedlings in symbiosis with the ectomycorrhizal fungus Paxillus involutus. The seedlings were exposed for 9 weeks to nutrient additions equivalent to 43 kg N and 6.4 kg P ha-1 (low N and P availability), 250 kg N and 38 kg P ha-1(high N and P availability) or to 250 kg N and 6.4 kg P ha-1 (high N and low P availability). Carbon and nitrogen allocation between the symbionts was assessed by exposing the foliage to 14CO2 and the mycelium to 15N-alanine or 15NH4 + simultaneously and measuring the distribution of the isotopic tracers after a three-day chase period. High inorganic N combined with low P availability did not have marked effect on symbiosis-mediated N uptake from alanine, whilst high N and P availability reduced alanine-derived 15N translocation by the fungus to the plant. Shoot 15N concentration and concentration of 14C in the extramatrical mycelium correlated significantly across treatments pointing to controlled reciprocity of transactions between the partners.