Diversity of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in a Brazilian Atlantic Forest Toposequence

Author(s)

Bonfim, Joice Andrade ^[1] ; Figueiredo Vasconcellos, Rafael Leandro ^[2] ; Gumiere, Thiago ^[1] ; Colombo Mescolotti, Denise de Lourdes ^[1] ; Oehl, Fritz ^{[3, 4]} ; Bran Nogueira Cardoso, Elke Jurandy ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, ESALQ, Soil Microbiol Lab, Dept Soil Sci, BR-13418900 Piracicaba, SP - Brazil

^[2] EMBRAPA Brazilian Co Res Agr Husb & Environm, BR-13820000 Jaguariuna, SP - Brazil

^[3] Agroscope, Fed Res Inst Sustainabil Sci, Plant Soil Interact, CH-8046 Zurich - Switzerland

^[4] Univ Fed Pernambuco, Dept Micol, BR-50740600 Recife, PE - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: MICROBIAL ECOLOGY; v. 71, n. 1, p. 164-177, JAN 2016.
• Web of Science Citations: 20

Abstract

The diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) was studied in the Atlantic Forest in Serra do Mar Park (SE Brazil), based on seven host plants in relationship to their soil environment, altitude and seasonality. The studied plots along an elevation gradient are located at 80, 600, and 1,000 m. Soil samples (0-20 cm) were collected in four seasons from SE Brazilian winter 2012 to autumn 2013. AMF spores in rhizosperic soils were morphologically classified and chemical, physical and microbiological soil caracteristics were determined. AMF diversity in roots was evaluated using the NS31/AM1 primer pair, with subsequent cloning and sequencing. In the rhizosphere, 58 AMF species were identified. The genera Acaulospora and Glomus were predominant. However, in the roots, only 14 AMF sequencing groups were found and all had high similarity to Glomeraceae. AMF species identities varied between altitudes and seasons. There were species that contributed the most to this variation. Some soil characteristics (pH, organic matter, microbial activity and microbial biomass carbon) showed a strong relationship with the occurrence of certain species. The highest AMF species diversity, based on Shannon's diversity index, was found for the highest altitude. Seasonality did not affect the diversity. Our results show a high AMF diversity, higher than commonly found in the Atlantic Forest. The AMF detected in roots were not identical to those detected in rhizosperic soil and differences in AMF communities were found in different altitudes even in geographically close-lying sites. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 11/15262-5 - Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and dark septate endophytes in areas of Atlantic Forest in altitudinal gradients
• Grantee: Joice Andrade Bonfim
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate