Forest fires are among the most important disturbances in many forested landscapes, and climate change is likely to enhance their relevance because of predicted warmer conditions and shifts in precipitation patterns. In the dry inner-alpine valleys of Central Europe, the frequency of extreme fire events is expected to increase. Today already, regeneration of Pinus sylvestris L. (Scots pine) on forest fire sites in these regions is sparse or even missing. Ectomycorrhiza, the symbiosis between

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... gi and woody plants, is suggested to be an important biotic factor for successful tree recruitment because the fungi enhance plant growth and improve the water status of their host. Yet, little is known about their ability to resist fire and to recover from fire disturbance. In this thesis, the following two questions are addressed: 1) How resistant and resilient are ectomycorrhizal fungal communities to forest fire? 2) If ectomycorrhizal fungal communities are altered due to forest fire and diversity is reduced, what are the consequences for seedling growth under drought stress?