Interactions Between Morel Cultivation, Soil Microbes, and Mineral Nutrients: Impacts and Mechanisms

Morel mushrooms (<i>Morchella</i> spp.) are prized for their nutritional and medicinal value. Despite extensive research on their cultivation, the species' impacts on the soil microbiota and minerals remain unclear. This study systematically evaluated six <i>Morchella</i> species, analyzing their effects on soil physicochemical properties, microbial communities, and mineral nutrients levels. The results showed that yield varied significantly among the species, with an order of <i>M. sextelata</i> > <i>M. exuberans</i> > <i>M. eximia</i> > <i>M. importuna</i> > <i>Mel-13</i> > <i>Mel-21</i>. Cultivation led to a consistent reduction in soil NO₃^--N levels, particularly in <i>M. eximia</i> and <i>Mel-13</i> (40-50% decrease), while NH₄⁺-N levels did not change significantly, indicating mycelial nitrate preference. Mineral nutrient alterations exhibited distinct species-dependent patterns, with <i>M. eximia</i> showing the greatest increase in exchangeable Ca, while <i>M. importuna</i> and <i>M. sextelata</i> caused the most obvious decreases in available B. <i>Morchella</i> species exerted more pronounced impacts on fungal than bacterial communities, evidenced by significant reductions in alpha diversity-particularly in high-yield <i>M. sextelata</i>-suggesting species-specific fungal inhibition. At the phylum level, consistent depletion of <i>Ascomycota</i> but enrichment of <i>Mortierellomycota</i> were noted. Moreover, correlation analyses identified significant positive associations between morel yield and both fungal community diversity and exchangeable Ca content. This implies that <i>Morchella</i> species restructures soil fungal communities through nutrient competition and mineral-mediated regulation, with calcium acting as a key modulator. Overall, by elucidating the interconnected '<i>Morchella</i> species-microbe-mineral' relationships, this study highlights <i>Morchella</i> species' distinct regulation of soil microecology, providing valuable insights for the selection of optimized species like <i>M. eximia</i> and targeted soil management in morel cultivation.