The effect of annual burning and mowing on soil fungal richness and abundance

Abstract

Burning and mowing are management techniques frequently used for prairie restoration, and it is therefore important to understand their effects. This study explores the effects of burning and mowing on the abundance and species richness of soil fungi. Fungi form an important component of prairie communities by both decomposing dead organic matter and enhancing plants ability to intake nutrients. We collected and cultured 5 cm soil cores from 20 burned and mowed plots at the Conard Environmental Research Area in central Iowa, a reconstructed prairie. We then counted the number of colonies and number of morphospecies on each plate to assess species richness and abundance. We found no significant difference in either variable due to burning or mowing, though the trends support recent studies showing an increase in fungal abundance in burned plots and a decrease in mowed plots.