The influence of fungal networks on the success of tree-planting schemes

Ambitious tree-planting schemes are a key part of the UK Government's Net Zero Strategy, but we understand little about the plant-soil interactions that will govern the success or failure of a tree planted in any given location. Trees typically form associations with either ectomycorrhizal (ECM) or arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, which form intimate symbioses with the tree's roots, providing the tree with nutrients in exchange for a supply of carbon (C) from the host plant. There is substantial evidence to suggest that AM and ECM-forming plants can deviate in their response to various abiotic and biotic drivers1, potentially leading to differences in growth, establishment and resilience across soil conditions. Furthermore, growing evidence also suggests that AM and ECM forming trees can drive divergent patterns of soil biogeochemistry2, which is of relevance to tree planting schemes aimed at maximising C capture. This project aims to elucidate the key abiotic and biotic drivers that will determine how ECM or AM-forming trees are likely to establish, grow and resist perturbation, and subsequently drive C-cycling in planted sites.