Abstract
Soil fungi associated with plant roots, notably ectomycorrhizal (EcM) fungi, are central in above- and below-ground interactions in Mediterranean forests. They are a key component in soil nutrient cycling and plant productivity. Yet, major disturbances of Mediterranean forests, particularly in the Southern Mediterranean basin, are observed due to the greater human pressures and climate changes. These disturbances highly impact forest cover, soil properties and consequently the root-associated fungal communities. The implementation of efficient conservation strategies of Mediterranean forests is thus closely tied to our understanding of root-associated fungal biodiversity and environmental rules driving its diversity and structure. In our study, the root-associated fungal community of Q. suber was analyzed using high-throughput sequencing across three major Moroccan cork oak habitats. Significant differences in root-associated fungal community structures of Q. suber were observed among Moroccan cork oak habitats (Maâmora, Benslimane, Chefchaoun) subjected to different human disturbance levels (high to low disturbances, respectively). The fungal community structure changes correlated with a wide range of soil properties, notably with pH, C:N ratio (P = 0.0002), and available phosphorus levels (P = 0.0001). More than 90 below-ground fungal indicators (P < 0.01)–either of a type of habitat and/or a soil property–were revealed. The results shed light on the ecological significance of ubiquitous ectomycorrhiza (Tomentella, Russula, Cenococcum), and putative sclerotia-associated/ericoid mycorrhizal fungal taxa (Cladophialophora, Oidiodendron) in the Moroccan cork oak forest, and their intraspecific variability regarding their response to land use and soil characteristics.
Highlights
Soil fungi are one of the most diverse groups of organisms on Earth [1] colonizing a wide range of ecological niches [2] and playing a central role in major ecological and biogeochemical processes, notably in forests [3,4]
Analysis of taxonomic fungal community composition in the Moroccan cork oak forest detected 1,768 operational taxonomic unit (OTU) belonging to 4 known fungal phyla, 39 orders, 78 families, and 127 genera (S1 Table)
We conducted an in-depth investigation of the molecular diversity of the root-associated fungal community of Q. suber in the Moroccan cork oak forest to decipher the main environmental drivers of this fungal community and to characterize fungal indicators associated with a type of habitat and/or a soil property
Summary
Soil fungi are one of the most diverse groups of organisms on Earth [1] colonizing a wide range of ecological niches [2] and playing a central role in major ecological and biogeochemical processes, notably in forests [3,4]. Recent extreme droughts in Southern Mediterranean forests have increased tree mortality [5] This negative impact has been exacerbated by increasing human pressures such as deforestation and overharvesting [7]. The degradation of cork oak forests strongly affects soil fungi, notably ectomycorrhizal (EcM) fungi [8,9,10], a key component of nutrient cycling and plant productivity [11]. Conservation strategies of these forests are dependent on our understanding of the soil fungal biodiversity, notably the fungal components directly associated with plant roots. Variations in phosphate (P) and nitrogen (N) soil content have been suggested as important drivers of intraspecific variability of Pisolithus spp. in the Maamora habitat, the largest cork oak forest in Morocco [19]
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