Abstract
IntroductionHere, we compare the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) community composition in soils from the root zone of the exotic invasive species Prosopis juliflora (EXO soils) and soils from the root zone of the native species Mimosa tenuiflora (NAT soils) from five locations in the Brazilian tropical seasonal dry forest, Paraíba, Brazil, using morphological analyses.ResultsAMF community composition in EXO and NAT soils were dissimilar. Available phosphorus, diversity index, spore abundance, and species richness were the main factors differing between the EXO and NAT soils. In general, the most dominant order present in the soils were Glomerales (44.8%) and Gigasporales (41.4%). The most abundant AMF genus in all studied soils was Funneliformis.ConclusionsDifferences in AMF community composition were associated with (1) differences in the dominant plant species (P. juliflora vs. M. tenuiflora) and (2) changes in soil chemical factors (soil, pH, total organic carbon, total nitrogen, and available P) in EXO soils. These results contribute to a deeper view of the AMF communities in exotic soils and open new perspectives for ecological processes involving AMF species and exotic plant species in the Brazilian tropical seasonal dry forest.
Highlights
We compare the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) community composition in soils from the root zone of the exotic invasive species Prosopis juliflora (EXO soils) and soils from the root zone of the native species Mimosa tenuiflora (NAT soils) from five locations in the Brazilian tropical seasonal dry forest, Paraíba, Brazil, using morphological analyses
Within the EXO soils, there were no significant differences among the EXO sites for soil pH, total organic carbon, and total nitrogen, but we found significant differences among EXO sites for available P
The Monteiro samples showed the highest soil pH and amounts of P, while the Natuba samples showed the highest amounts of TOC and total N, whereas in the NAT soils, we found significant difference from each studied site in soil pH, total organic carbon, total nitrogen, and available P
Summary
We compare the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) community composition in soils from the root zone of the exotic invasive species Prosopis juliflora (EXO soils) and soils from the root zone of the native species Mimosa tenuiflora (NAT soils) from five locations in the Brazilian tropical seasonal dry forest, Paraíba, Brazil, using morphological analyses. Despite evidences of invasive exotic plant species introduction in the Brazilian tropical seasonal dry forest dating 516 years before present, when the Portuguese arrived in Brazil in 1500, Pegado and co-workers (2006) reported that invasive exotic plant species (e.g., Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC.) were introduced during 1942 as a result of a governmental program during that period This governmental program was proposed to help the regional farmers during dry period providing them with a “tree of life” that would be used as an alternative to fodder and shelter for livestock. This “tree of life” became the most common troublesome invasive exotic plant species in the Brazilian tropical seasonal dry forests affecting native plant community composition and ecological processes in the invaded areas since 1942 (Alves et al 2009; Andrade et al 2009; Souza et al 2016a)
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