Scots pine responses to CO2 enrichment--I. Ectomycorrhizal fungi and soil fauna

Ectomycorrhizal Scots pine seedlings were grown in unfertilized forest soil at ambient and double (ca 700 ppm) atmospheric concentrations of CO2. The biomass of seedlings and fungal biomass both in the roots and in the soil and the numbers of certain groups of soil animals were measured under summer conditions and after an artificial winter acclimation period. No biomass parameter showed any significant change due to CO2 elevation. Increases were found during the winter acclimation period in total and fine root biomasses, fungal biomass in the soil and total fungal biomass both in the roots and in the soil, while the ratio of needle biomass: fungal biomass and the shoot: root ratio decreased. The N concentration in previous-year needles was lower in the double CO2 environment than with ambient CO2. Enchytraeids almost disappeared in the double CO2 environment during winter acclimation, while the numbers of nematodes increased at the same time in both treatments.