There is increasing evidence that plant roots and mycorrhizal fungi, whether living or dead, play a central role in soil carbon (C) cycling. Root-mycorrhizal-microbial interactions can both suppress and enhance litter decay, with the net result dependent upon belowground nutrient acquisition strategies and soil nutrient availability.

We measured the net effect of living roots and mycorrhizal fungi on the decay of dead roots and fungal hyphae in a hardwood forest dominated by either sugar maple ( Acer saccharum ) or white oak ( Quercus alba ) trees. Root and fungal litter were allowed to decompose within root-ingrowth bags and root-exclusion cores. In conjunction with root effects on decay, we assessed foraging responses and root induced changes in soil moisture, nitrogen (N) availability and enzyme activity.

After one year, maple root production increased, and mycorrhizal fungal colonization decreased in the presence of decaying litter. Additionally, we found that actively foraging roots suppressed the decay of root litter (-14%) more than fungal litter (-3%), and suppression of root decay was stronger for oak (-20%) than maple roots (-8%). Suppressive effects of oak roots on decay were greatest when roots also reduced soil N availability, which corresponded with reductions in hydrolytic enzyme activity and enhanced oxidative enzyme activities.

These findings further our understanding of context‐dependent drivers of root–mycorrhizal–microbial interactions and demonstrate that such interactions can play an under-appreciated role in soil organic matter accumulation and turnover in temperate forests.