Dispersal of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi: Evidence and Insights for Ecological Studies

Author(s)

Paz, Claudia ^{[1, 2]} ; Opik, Maarja ^[1] ; Bulascoschi, Leticia ^[2] ; Bueno, C. Guillermo ^[1] ; Galetti, Mauro ^{[3, 2]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Tartu, Inst Ecol & Earth Sci, Dept Bot, Lai 40 St, EE-51005 Tartu - Estonia

^[2] Sao Paulo State Univ, Inst Biosci, Dept Ecol, Av 24A 1515, BR-13506900 Rio Claro, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Miami, Dept Biol, Coral Gables, FL 33146 - USA

• Document type: Review article
• Source: MICROBIAL ECOLOGY; v. 81, n. 2 SEP 2020.
• Web of Science Citations: 2

Abstract

Dispersal is a critical ecological process that modulates gene flow and contributes to the maintenance of genetic and taxonomic diversity within ecosystems. Despite an increasing global understanding of the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal diversity, distribution and prevalence in different biomes, we have largely ignored the main dispersal mechanisms of these organisms. To provide a geographical and scientific overview of the available data, we systematically searched for the direct evidence on the AM fungal dispersal agents (abiotic and biotic) and different propagule types (i.e. spores, extraradical hyphae or colonized root fragments). We show that the available data (37 articles) on AM fungal dispersal originates mostly from North America, from temperate ecosystems, from biotic dispersal agents (small mammals) and AM fungal spores as propagule type. Much lesser evidence exists from South American, Asian and African tropical systems and other dispersers such as large-bodied birds and mammals and non-spore propagule types. We did not find strong evidence that spore size varies across dispersal agents, but wind and large animals seem to be more efficient dispersers. However, the data is still too scarce to draw firm conclusions from this finding. We further discuss and propose critical research questions and potential approaches to advance the understanding of the ecology of AM fungi dispersal. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 18/00212-1 - Soil fertilization and dispersion of mycorrhizal fungi by mammals in the Atlantic Forest
• Grantee: Leticia Bulascoschi Cagnoni
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• FAPESP's process: 16/25197-0 - Effects of defaunation on soil-plant interactions in tropical forest
• Grantee: Claudia Pandolfo Paz
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 18/16697-4 - Dispersal and diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the Atlantic Forest
• Grantee: Claudia Pandolfo Paz
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor