Arbuscular mycorrhizas and ectomycorrhizas on Eucalyptus grandis (Myrtaceae) trees and seedlings in native forests of tropical north-eastern Australia

Abstract

Eucalypts have been shown to form both arbuscular mycorrhizas (AM) and ectomycorrhizas (ECM) in glasshouse experiments. Little is known, however, about the relative dominance of these two mycorrhiza types on individual eucalypt species across their natural range. This study examined mycorrhizal colonisation levels of Eucalyptus grandis Hill ex Maiden roots at 29 sites representing a broad range of wet sclerophyll forest types in the wet tropics of north-eastern Australia. Adult E. grandis trees sampled in situ were invariably heavily ectomycorrhizal, with 76–100% fine root length colonised (% RLC). There were comparatively low levels of AM, with typically less than 10% RLC. Seedling E. grandis grown in intact soil cores from the field sites under glasshouse conditions had lower total levels of mycorrhiza formation compared with adult trees, with more variable ECM formation (10–95% RLC) and more extensive AM formation (10–40% RLC). There were no apparent trends in mycorrhiza formation across different soil parent material, rainfall or vegetation categories used. The current research suggests that arbuscular mycorrhizas are more prominent on seedlings, whereas ectomycorrhizas predominate in adult trees of E. grandis. Possible reasons for these differences and a comparison with other studies of eucalypt mycorrhizas under natural conditions are presented.