Fungal sequencing

Plant nutrient foraging depends on roots and mycorrhizal fungi, which are affected by plant carbon (C) investment and soil nutrient availability. The C supply for root metabolism and associated fungi might be diminished as the host plant size or age increases, while the quality and quantity of soil nitrogen (N) change with forest age. There is still no holistic understanding of how the organization of belowground mycorrhizal root structure and fungi in the nutrient acquisition continuum shifts with forest age and soil resources, which restrains our understanding of the functional relations among roots, fungi, and soil. Our results suggest that forest age explains shifts in systemic functional trade-offs in root architecture, root segment metabolism, and mycorrhizal exploration types.