Fungal communities associated with phytoedaphic communities in the semiarid southwest

Abstract

Abstract Soil fungal populations, diversity, and the community composition of fungal groups were determined among soils from 11 plant communities occurring in the semiarid Southwest. In general, soils associated with treeland plant communities had significantly higher fungal populations than the soils associated with shrub or grassland plant communities. In contrast, the diversity and evenness of fungal groups were higher in soils from the shrub and grassland plant communities than in soils from the treeland plant communities. Lower populations of fungi and higher fungal diversities in the shrub and grassland plant communities were associated with a lower soil organic matter status compared to the more organic matter‐rich treeland plant communities. A Penicillium cyclopium series isolate dominated the soils from both the tree and shrubland plant communities, while Fusarium spp. dominated the soils from the grassland plant communities. Although the tree and the shrubland plant communities contained similar...