Mycorrhizal identity and light shape tree seedling biomass responses in plant–soil feedbacks

Plant–soil feedbacks (PSFs) are key drivers of forest composition and diversity, yet their direction and magnitude may depend on the mycorrhizal identity of interacting species, environmental conditions, and experimental context. We conducted complementary greenhouse and field experiments using Acer rubrum L., Acer saccharum Marsh., Prunus serotina Ehrh. (all arbuscular mycorrhizal [AM] species), and Quercus alba L., and Quercus rubra L. (all ectomycorrhizal [EM] species) to test how biomass-based PSFs vary with mycorrhizal matching between seedlings and adult trees, light availability, and soil microbial communities. Seedlings were grown in soil conditioned by conspecifics, conmycorrhizal heterospecifics, or heteromycorrhizal heterospecifics under controlled and natural light regimes. Consistent with expectations, AM species consistently exhibited negative PSFs under low light, and EM species tended to show more positive PSFs, but this pattern was contingent on light and greenhouse ver..., , # Data from: Mycorrhizal identity and light shape tree seedling biomass responses in plant–soil feedbacks

Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.rfj6q57qj](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.rfj6q57qj)

## Description of the data and file structure

**Experimental Design and Data Collection**

We conducted complementary greenhouse and field transplant experiments to test how plant–soil feedbacks (PSFs) vary with mycorrhizal identity, soil source, sterilization of conspecific soils, and light availability. Five temperate tree species differing in mycorrhizal association (*Acer rubrum*, *Acer saccharum*, *Prunus serotina*, *Quercus alba*, *Quercus rubra*) were used in the greenhouse experiment. Two EM species (*Q. alba*, *Q. rubra*) were used in the field experiment. Soils were collected from mapped adult trees in a mixed hardwood forest and used either live (non-sterile) or sterilized to isolate biotic versus abiotic soil components.

**Greenhouse Experiment**

The greenhouse experiment was conducted a...,