The ectomycorrhizal community in urban linden trees and its relationships with soil properties

The aim of this study was to verify if root tip vitality and ectomycorrhization in 16 mature urban linden (Tilia vulgaris Hayne) trees, growing in roadside and park side sites, at moderately and strongly declining levels, could be associated with main soil properties. From the 738 soil and root samples collected over the four study periods, 52 ectomycorrhizae were recorded. The study demonstrated that the number of non-vital, vital non-mycorrhizal and mycorrhizal tips never differed significantly, neither among samples collected beneath the same tree nor among trees belonging to the same site and decline class, with the exception of the number of vital non-mycorrhizal tips showing significant differences among sites. Significant differences in ectomycorrhizal community composition between sites and between decline classes were found. This result may be related to the variation of the environmental variables as a whole rather than to the influence of a single or few factors, even if capability, permanent wilting point and available water are the soil parameters most significantly related to diversity in ectomycorrhizal community.