6.6 Origins of Forest Soil Polysaccharides
Forest soil contains accumulated microbial polysaccharides, largely producted by
fungi and bacteria, the two largest functional microbial subgroups in soil. Fungal
polysaccharides should form a larger component than bacterial polysaccharides, as
the fungal component of the total microbial biomass is greater than the bacterial
component in forest soil (Ananyeva et al. 2006). Furthermore, soils from temperate
forests are overwhelmingly dominated by taxa belonging to ECM fungi rather than
endomycorrhizal or non-mycorrhizal fungi (Shi et al. 2014). Schweigert et al. (2015)
reported that ECM fungi comply a large proportion (80%) of fungal biomass, and up
to 30% of total soil microbial biomass in forest soil. Consequently, ECM fungal
polysaccharides including sclerotial polysaccharides are the predominant sources of
microbial polysaccharides in forest soil. Our discussion focused on SG as they
persist and accumulate in soil, and because they represent as collectable biomass
of ECM fungi.
The monosaccharide composition of forest-derived arable soil where woody
plants no longer grow suggested an accumulation of microbial polysaccharides.
Some portion of the saccharides accumulated in forest-derived arable soil may
originate from ECM fungal SG produced when the soil was under forest cover.
We have focused on ECM fungal SG as the origin of forest soil polysaccharides.
Other functions of this small but many-formed and accumulative organic body in
soil processes, such as below-ground carbon dynamics in forest ecosystem might be
considerable under global warming.
References
Amasya AF, Narisawa K, Watanabe M (2015) Analysis of sclerotia-associated fungal communities
in cool-temparate forest soils in North Japan. Microbes Environ 30:113–116. https://doi.org/10.
1264/jsme2.ME:14135
Amelung W, Flach KW, Zech W (1999a) Neutral and acidic sugars in particle-size fractions as
influenced by climate. Soil Sci Soc Am J 63:865–873. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1999.
634865x
Amelung W, Zhang X, Flach KW, Zech W (1999b) Amino sugars in native grassland soils along a
climosequence in North America. Soil Sci Soc Am J 63:86–92. https://doi.org/10.2136/
sssaj1999.03615995006300010014x
Ananyeva ND, Susyan EA, Chernova OV, Chernova IY, Makarova OL (2006) The ratio of fungi
and bacteria in the biomass of different types of soil determined by selective inhibition.
Microbiology 6:702–707. https://doi.org/10.1134/S0026261706060130
Atsumi S (2008) Decomposition kinetics of plant materials in sandy soil and biosynthesis of
microbial saccharides under upland field conditions. Master thesis. Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Meijo university. Nagoya, Japan. (in Japanese)
Banno A (2010) Decomposition of wild plant residue and production of neutral saccharide in heavy
clayley soil under field conditions. Master thesis. Graduate School of Agricultural Science,
Meijo university. Nagoya, Japan. (in Japanese)
6 Origin of Soil Polysaccharides, and Ectomycorrhizal Fungal Sclerotia as Sources . . .
113
Forest soil contains accumulated microbial polysaccharides, largely producted by
fungi and bacteria, the two largest functional microbial subgroups in soil. Fungal
polysaccharides should form a larger component than bacterial polysaccharides, as
the fungal component of the total microbial biomass is greater than the bacterial
component in forest soil (Ananyeva et al. 2006). Furthermore, soils from temperate
forests are overwhelmingly dominated by taxa belonging to ECM fungi rather than
endomycorrhizal or non-mycorrhizal fungi (Shi et al. 2014). Schweigert et al. (2015)
reported that ECM fungi comply a large proportion (80%) of fungal biomass, and up
to 30% of total soil microbial biomass in forest soil. Consequently, ECM fungal
polysaccharides including sclerotial polysaccharides are the predominant sources of
microbial polysaccharides in forest soil. Our discussion focused on SG as they
persist and accumulate in soil, and because they represent as collectable biomass
of ECM fungi.
The monosaccharide composition of forest-derived arable soil where woody
plants no longer grow suggested an accumulation of microbial polysaccharides.
Some portion of the saccharides accumulated in forest-derived arable soil may
originate from ECM fungal SG produced when the soil was under forest cover.
We have focused on ECM fungal SG as the origin of forest soil polysaccharides.
Other functions of this small but many-formed and accumulative organic body in
soil processes, such as below-ground carbon dynamics in forest ecosystem might be
considerable under global warming.
References
Amasya AF, Narisawa K, Watanabe M (2015) Analysis of sclerotia-associated fungal communities
in cool-temparate forest soils in North Japan. Microbes Environ 30:113–116. https://doi.org/10.
1264/jsme2.ME:14135
Amelung W, Flach KW, Zech W (1999a) Neutral and acidic sugars in particle-size fractions as
influenced by climate. Soil Sci Soc Am J 63:865–873. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1999.
634865x
Amelung W, Zhang X, Flach KW, Zech W (1999b) Amino sugars in native grassland soils along a
climosequence in North America. Soil Sci Soc Am J 63:86–92. https://doi.org/10.2136/
sssaj1999.03615995006300010014x
Ananyeva ND, Susyan EA, Chernova OV, Chernova IY, Makarova OL (2006) The ratio of fungi
and bacteria in the biomass of different types of soil determined by selective inhibition.
Microbiology 6:702–707. https://doi.org/10.1134/S0026261706060130
Atsumi S (2008) Decomposition kinetics of plant materials in sandy soil and biosynthesis of
microbial saccharides under upland field conditions. Master thesis. Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Meijo university. Nagoya, Japan. (in Japanese)
Banno A (2010) Decomposition of wild plant residue and production of neutral saccharide in heavy
clayley soil under field conditions. Master thesis. Graduate School of Agricultural Science,
Meijo university. Nagoya, Japan. (in Japanese)
6 Origin of Soil Polysaccharides, and Ectomycorrhizal Fungal Sclerotia as Sources . . .
113