XEROCOMUS BADIUS - PICEA-ABIES, AN ECTOMYCORRHIZA OF HIGH-ACTIVITY AND ELEMENT STORAGE CAPACITY IN ACIDIC SOIL

Mycorrhizas were collected from three Norway spruce (Picea abies) stan ds in southwest Germany, sorted on the morphotype level and analysed b y fluorescein diacetate vital fluorescence staining and the accumulati on of elements using inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectr ometry (ICP-AES) and electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS). Xerocom us badius - Picea abies mycorrhizas showed a higher frequency of activ e hyphal sheaths and a higher potential to store nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, iron and zinc than other mycorrhizal types. Pho sphorus and nitrogen were localized by EELS in vacuolar bodies which o ccurred consistently in the sheath of X. badius mycorrhizas. The resul ts indicate that X. badius is well adapted to acidic stands and that i ts mycorrhizas are very efficient in uptake and storage of macronutrie nts.