Effects of Prescribed Burning on Mycorrhizal Fungi in a Pinus Banksiana Stand
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Lakehead University Knowledge Commons,http://knowledgecommons.lakeheadu.ca Electronic Theses and Dissertations Retrospective theses 1997 Effects of prescribed burning on mycorrhizal fungi in a pinus banksiana stand Rigal, Kyna Anne http://knowledgecommons.lakeheadu.ca/handle/2453/2508 Downloaded from Lakehead University, KnowledgeCommons INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type of computer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleedthrough, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. 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Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ReproducedReproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. The Effects of Prescribed Burning on Mycorrhizal Fungi in a Pin us banksiana Stand by Kyna A. Rigal Faculty of Forestry Lakehead University Thunder Bay, Ontario April 1997 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. National Library Bibiiotheque nationale 1*1 of Canada du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographic Services services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A0N4 Ottawa ON K1A0N4 Canada Canada Your So Votre reference Our So Notre reference The author has granted a non L’auteur a accorde une licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive permettant a la National Library of Canada to Bibiiotheque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or sell reproduire, preter, distribuer ou copies o f this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette these sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfiche/film, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format electronique. The author retains ownership o f the L’auteur conserve la propriete du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d’auteur qui protege cette these. thesis nor substantial extracts from it Ni la these ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent etre imprimes reproduced without the author’s ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. 0-612-33438-4 Canada Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. The Effects of Prescribed Burning on Mycorrhizal Fungi in a Pinus banksiana Stand by Kyna A. Rigal A Graduate Thesis Submitted In Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Masters of Science in Forestry Faculty of Forestry Lakehead University April 1997 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. A caution to the reader This M.Sc.F. thesis has been through a formal process of review and commented on by at least three faculty members. It is made available for loan by the faculty for the purpose o f advancing the practice of professional and scientific forestry. The reader should realize that opinions expressed in this document do not necessarily reflect the opinions of either the supervisors, the faculty, or the University. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. V Dedication In loving memory of my Grandfather, Bernard Morris Alexandor, who taught me that all of my goals and aspirations are within my reach. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of fire on mycorrhizal fungi in a Pinus bcmksiana stand. It was hypothesized that an optimal fire intensity leads to an increase in ectomycorrhizal colonization of crop species and to a decrease in vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization of competition species. Pinus resinosa seedlings grown in the greenhouse on soil from burned plots had significantly higher ectomycorrhizal colonization. There was no significant correlation between fire intensity and ectomycorrhizal colonization of the greenhouse P. resinosa or Pinus strobus. The P. strobus out-planted on the Clearcut and scarification and the Scarified and Prescribe Burned Treatments had significantly higher colonization than both the P. strobus out-planted in the Clearcut Treatment and the P. resinosa at all Treatment levels. There were significant levels of interactions in all of the ectomycorrhizal studies. Neither the field planted P. resinosa nor the P. strobus had a significant correlation with fire intensity. The relationship between fire intensity and vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) colonization in Trifolium repens and Agrostis palustris grown and germinated on soil from a P. banksiana stand was inconclusive because the seeds from the four non-bumed plots failed to germinate. There was no significant relationship between fire Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. intensity and VAM colonization. Burned and non-bumed field plots were examined for fungal carpophores one year after the prescribed fires. Thirty-seven fungi species were found: of these, 11 mycorrhizal fungi, nine saprophytic fungi, and two pathogenic fungi were identified. All of the pathogenic and saprophytic fungi were found on the burned plots while only two of them occurred on the non-bumed plots. Five of the mycorrhizal fungi occurred on both the burned and non-bumed plots, and two of them occurred exclusively on the non-bumed plots. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Acknowledgements The successful completion of this study is due to the help of many individuals. Although many of the following people were just doing their jobs, I would like to recognize the grace and kindness that was shown to me. I would like to express my sincere thanks to: Dr. A J. Kay 11, my supervisor, for his support, guidance, and encouragement throughout my time at Lakehead University; Drs. K. Brown and E. Setliff, my committee members, for their advice; Drs. M. Grace and T. Taerum, from the University of Alberta, for their generous statistical advice; Dave Herr for his support and help right to the end; Mrs. J. Bohonis, Mrs. C. Loree, and Mrs. M. Beck, for their crisis management skills; Dr. L. Meyer for his enthusiasm!; Mr. L. Sevean and Mr. S. Elliot for their time and energy spent helping in the laboratory; Lisa Clark and Dara Torgerson, from PNFI, for everything including collecting samples, setting up the greenhouse, and driving to Frontier Lake; Scott McNeil for something, although I am not sure what; Mr. D. Christie for his extraordinary and swift help in accounts; Mr. A. Colosimo for his timely advice. Dr. K.C. Yang for the gracious use of the Zeiss microscope; Dr. U. Runesson for the use of his computers; Dr. P. Duinker, The Forestry Graduate Studies Committee, and Dr. C. Nelson and Mrs. L. Gollat from the Graduate Students office for their support; Drs. Y. Dalpe and S. Redhead, from Agriculture Canada, for their tremendous help in identifying mushrooms; Dr. L. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Peterson and his laboratory assistants for teaching me the techniques involved in assessing vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae; Bill Haddon from Forestry Canada for silviculture data; Joe Doria for developing the computer software required for counting the vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae; Paul McBay from OFRI for funding; Rob McAlpine, Mike Flannighan, Mike Wotton, Mike Hobbs, Joe Renaud, Sylvie Gauthier, Gord Ramsey, and Doug Higgins for helping maintain both my sanity and sense of humour throughout this study. I would like to express a special thank you to my family for their support throughout my time at both Trent University and Lakehead University. Lastly, I would like to acknowledge the kindness, love, and support that was shown to me by Oden. Thank you. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. X Contents Page Dedication V Abstract vi Acknowledgements viii List of Tables xii List of Figures xiii List of Equations XV Chapter 1: A literature review of the effects of fire on soil fungi 1.1 Introduction 1 1.2 Fire and soil processes 3 1.3 The effects of fire on soil fungal populations