Soil Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Community Research Articles

Effect of Intercropping Soybean on the Diversity of the Rhizosphere Soil Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Communities in Wheat Field

Effect of Intercropping Soybean on the Diversity of the Rhizosphere Soil Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Communities in Wheat Field

Winter forage crops influence soil properties through establishing different arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi communities in paddy field

Winter planting is promising for improving the utilization rate of fallow paddy fields in southern China by establishing arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) communities. However, the effects of different winter forage crops on AMF community construction remain unknown. The AMF community establishment of different winter planting forage crops were conducted in oat, rye, Chinese milk vetch, and ryegrass, with winter fallow as a control. The AMF colonization rate, soil AMF spore density, community structure and diversity, and soil physicochemical properties were determined. The results showed that the total nitrogen and available nitrogen in winter Chinese milk vetch were 11.11% and 16.92% higher than those in winter fallow (P < 0.05). After planting winter forage crops, the AMF spore density in winter oat, rye, Chinese milk vetch, and ryegrass soil were 127.90%, 64.37%, 59.91%, and 73.62% higher than that before planting, respectively (P < 0.05). Claroideoglomus was the dominant AMF genus in the soil of winter planting oat, rye, and ryegrass. The average membership function value of winter Chinese milk vetch was the highest, indicating that it had the best comprehensive effect on soil physicochemical properties, AMF community structure and diversity, and fresh forage yield. Winter forage crops could increase the spore pool of soil AMF and improve the soil AMF community structure and diversity. Winter Chinese milk vetch in paddy field had the best comprehensive effect on soil physicochemical properties and soil AMF community according to the comprehensive evaluation. These findings provide a theoretical basis for sustainable development and utilization of the southern rice paddy ecosystem.

Exotic plants introduction changed soil nutrient cycle and symbiotic relationship with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in wetland ecological projects.

In the process of applying exotic plants to wetland ecological restoration, insufficiently evaluated alien species may exhibit strong competitiveness and fecundity. Once introduced, they can displace native flora, disrupt the original ecological balance, diminish biodiversity, and even induce ecosystem dysfunction. Furthermore, exotic plants have the potential to alter soil microbial community structure, including the composition and activity of beneficial symbiotic microorganisms such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), thereby impacting soil nutrient cycling and interplant nutrient competition. Here, we conducted three consecutive years of sampling experiments to investigate the succession of AMF communities associated with the invasive plant Spartina alterniflora along an initial introduction chronosequence, and to identify the key environmental factors influencing its response to S. alterniflora invasion. Our findings reveal that early-stage invasion by S. alterniflora alters the composition of soil AMF communities with unclassified_c__Glomeromycetes and Glomus-viscosum-VTX00063 consistently dominating. Additionally, as the duration of introduction increases, the diversity of rhizosphere soil AMF significantly decreases, while its evenness remains relatively stable. It's indicated that soil ω, AN, AK and N/P ratio were the main influencing factors of the integral AMF community. Notably, soil available phosphorus (AP) emerges as a positive influence on the important AMF taxa. The results confirm the mutual feedback effect between the invasion of the perennial herb S. alterniflora and AMF, in which specific AMF assist in nutrient absorption to promote S. alterniflora growth, potentially facilitating its rapid and successful invasion of new habitats. Given the likely differential effects of AMF communities on various plant species, our findings could contribute to anticipating future AMF-mediated effects during the introduction of alien plants.

The communities of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi established by different winter green manures in paddy fields promote post-cropping rice production1

Winter planting green manures in southern China effectively improve soil properties and rice production through microbial community construction. However, the effects of soil communities of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) from different winter planting green manures on the soil properties and post-cropping rice production remain unclear. In this study, the soil AMF communities of three common winter planting patterns in Southern China, winter fallow, winter ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.), and winter Chinese milk vetch (Astragalus sinicus L.), were explored and their effects on post-cropping rice production were investigated. Compared with winter fallow, the winter ryegrass and winter Chinese milk vetch patterns could alleviate soil acidification, significantly increase soil AMF spore density, and improve the soil AMF community structure. Based on sterilized soil, rice production indicators such as thousand-seed weight, theoretical yield, and the grain amylose and total sugar contents of rice inoculated with AMF spores from winter Chinese milk vetch soil were 6.68-53.57% higher than those without AMF inoculation. Rice panicle weight, seed setting rate, and theoretical yield were 15.38-22.71% higher in the treatment with AMF spores from winter ryegrass soil than in the treatments with no AMF inoculation. In addition, the protein, amylose, and total sugar contents of rice grains were 14.92, 104.82, and 802.23 mg kg-1, respectively, which were 31.31, 14.25 and 34.47% higher than those without AMF inoculation. The AMF community dominated by Glomus and Acaulospora in winter Chinese milk vetch had a more positive effect on the improvement of rice yield, while the AMF community dominated by Glomus in winter ryegrass soil was more conducive to rice quality improvement. These findings have revealed the critical role of AMF communities from green manure in rice production, which lays the theoretical basis for a promising strategy to promote the sustainable development of southern winter agriculture.

Impact of wildfire on soil characteristics and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.

This study explored whether wildfire alters the soil properties and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) community composition when compared with burnt rangeland, non-burnt rangeland and adjacent tilled in mesothermal ecosystems. The study was carried out in August 2020, 1year later after wildfire. The results of this study showed that the wildfire played a key role in altering soil characteristics and AMF community composition in Bartin Province located in the Western Black Sea Region. Soil samples were made according to standard methods. AMF spores were isolated according to the wet sieving method, and the spores of AMF were identified according to their morphological characteristics. Analysis of variance was performed to determine the differences between the parameters, and correlation analysis was performed to determine the relationships between the parameters. The highest values of soil organic carbon (2.20%), total nitrogen (0.18%), K2O (74.68kg/da), root colonization (87.5%) and the frequency of occurrence of Funneliformis geosporum (20%), Claroideoglomus claroideum (16%) and Claroideoglomus etunicatum (11%) were found in burnt rangeland. Sporulation of Acaulospora dilatata, Acaulospora morrowiae, Acaulospora tuberculata, Scutellospora castanea, Scutellospora coralloidea, Scutellospora scutata, Glomus coremioides and Glomus multicaule was either decreased or completely inhibited in the burnt rangeland. While species diversity of AMF (12) decreased, the number of AMF spores (325.6 (number/50 gr soil)) increased in burnt areas. In conclusion, the number of spores and root colonization of AMF increased but species diversity of AMF reduced after the wildfire. In ecosystems with high fire risk where AMF transfer is planned, it is suggested that it would be more appropriate to select species with an increase in spore number after fire.

Response of soil arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal community to chemical fertilization in sugarcane

Response of soil arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal community to chemical fertilization in sugarcane

Effect of plant communities on bacterial and fungal communities in a Central European grassland

BackgroundGrasslands provide fundamental ecosystem services that are supported by their plant diversity. However, the importance of plant taxonomic diversity for the diversity of other taxa in grasslands remains poorly understood. Here, we studied the associations between plant communities, soil chemistry and soil microbiome in a wooded meadow of Čertoryje (White Carpathians, Czech Republic), a European hotspot of plant species diversity.ResultsHigh plant diversity was associated with treeless grassland areas with high primary productivity and high contents of soil nitrogen and organic carbon. In contrast, low plant diversity occurred in grasslands near solitary trees and forest edges. Fungal communities differed between low-diversity and high-diversity grasslands more strongly than bacterial communities, while the difference in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) depended on their location in soil versus plant roots. Compared to grasslands with low plant diversity, high-diversity plant communities had a higher diversity of fungi including soil AMF, a different fungal and soil AMF community composition and higher bacterial and soil AMF biomass. Root AMF composition differed only slightly between grasslands with low and high plant diversity. Trees dominated the belowground plant community in low-diversity grasslands, which influenced microbial diversity and composition.ConclusionsThe determinants of microbiome abundance and composition in grasslands are complex. Soil chemistry mainly influenced bacterial communities, while plant community type mainly affected fungal (including AMF) communities. Further studies on the functional roles of microbial communities are needed to understand plant-soil-microbe interactions and their involvement in grassland ecosystem services.

Soil organic matter and water content affect the community characteristics of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in Helan mountain, an arid desert grassland area in China.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are vital in terrestrial ecosystems. However, the community structure characteristics and influencing factors of AMF in the forest ecosystems of arid desert grassland areas require further investigation. Therefore, we employed high-throughput sequencing technology to analyze the soil AMF community characteristics at different elevations in the Helan mountains. The results revealed that significant differences (P < 0.05) were observed in the soil physicochemical properties among different elevations, and these properties exhibited distinct trends with increasing elevation. Through high-throughput sequencing, we identified 986 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) belonging to 1 phylum, 4 classes, 6 orders, 12 families, 14 genera, and 114 species. The dominant genus was Glomus. Furthermore, significant differences (P < 0.05) were observed in the α-diversity of the soil AMF community across different elevations. Person correlation analysis, redundancy analysis (RDA), and Monte Carlo tests demonstrated significant correlations between the diversity and abundance of AMF communities with soil organic matter (OM) (P < 0.01) and soil water content (WC) (P < 0.05). This study provides insights into the structural characteristics of soil AMF communities at various altitudes on the eastern slope of Helan mountain and their relationships with soil physicochemical properties. The findings contribute to our understanding of the distribution pattern of soil AMF and its associations with environmental factors in the Helan mountains, as well as the stability of forest ecosystems in arid desert grassland areas.

Untangling the effect that replacing Ethiopia's natural forests with exotic tree plantations has on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have a broad distribution and establish symbiotic relationships with vascular plants in tropical regions. They play a crucial role in enhancing plant nutrient absorption, mitigating pathogenic infections, and boosting the resilience of host plants to abiotic stresses, including drought under specific conditions. Many natural forests in Ethiopia are being replaced by monospecific plantations. However, the impact of these actions on AMF is unknown and, despite their ecological functions, AMF communities in various forest systems have not been thoroughly investigated. In this study, we assessed soil AMF communities in natural and plantation forests by DNA metabarcoding of the ITS2 rDNA region and assessed the influence of climate and environmental variables on the AMF community. In total, 193 AMF operational taxonomic units (OTUs), comprising nine families and 15 genera, were recorded. Glomerales was the dominant order (67.9 % of AMF OTUs) and Septoglomus fuscum, Diversispora insculpta, and Funneliformis mosseae were the dominant species. AMF were more abundant in natural forests than in plantation forests and the composition of AMF communities differed significantly from those of plantation forest. In plantation forests, soil pH, organic carbon, total nitrogen, and available phosphorus significantly influenced the composition of AMF communities, whereas in natural forest, electrical conductivity, annual rainfall, and cumulative rainfall before sample collection were significantly correlated with AMF. SIMPER analysis identified the AMF responsible for composition variances among different forest types, with the Glomeraceae family being the most significant contributor, accounting for nearly 60 % of the dissimilarity. Our findings further our understanding of the ecological niche function and the role of AMF in Ethiopia's natural forest systems and highlight the importance of prioritizing the sustainable development of degraded natural forests rather than plantations to ensure the preservation of habitats conducive to maintaining various AMF communities when devising conservation and management strategies.

Common soil history is more important than plant history for arbuscular mycorrhizal community assembly in an experimental grassland diversity gradient

The relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning strengthens with ecosystem age. However, the interplay between the plant diversity - ecosystem functioning relationship and Glomeromycotinian arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) community assembly has not yet been scrutinized in this context, despite AMF’s role in plant survival and niche exploration. We study the development of AMF communities by disentangling soil- and plant-driven effects from calendar year effects. Within a long-term grassland biodiversity experiment, the pre-existing plant communities of varying plant diversity were re-established as split plots with combinations of common plant and soil histories: split plots with neither common plant nor soil history, with only soil but no plant history, and with both common plant and soil history. We found that bulk soil AMF communities were primarily shaped by common soil history, and additional common plant history had little effect. Further, the steepness of AMF diversity and plant diversity relationship did not strengthen over time, but AMF community evenness increased with common history. Specialisation of AMF towards plant species was low throughout, giving no indication of AMF communities specialising or diversifying over time. The potential of bulk soil AMF as mediators of variation in plant and microbial biomass over time and hence as drivers of biodiversity and ecosystem relationships was low. Our results suggest that soil processes may be key for the build-up of plant community-specific mycorrhizal communities with likely feedback effects on ecosystem productivity, but the plant-available mycorrhizal pool in bulk soil itself does not explain the strengthening of biodiversity and ecosystem relationships over time.

Characteristics of the Rhizospheric AMF Community and Nutrient Contents of the Dominant Grasses in Four Microhabitats of the Subalpine Zone in Northwestern Yunnan, China

At the southeastern periphery of the Tibetan Plateau, the subalpine ecosystem hosts grasses as some of the most substantial species. However, the community and function of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) around the rhizospheres of grasses in the subalpine zone are still poorly understood. In the present study, 28 soils and 11 species of dominant grasses collected from four microhabitats (shrubland, grassland, woodland, and forest) in the subalpine zone of northwestern Yunnan, China, were used to investigate the AMF community by Illumina MiSeq high-throughput sequencing technology as well as nutrient contents. Among the four microhabitats, the maximum soil nutrient levels around the rhizospheres of grasses were observed in woodland. The nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium concentrations in Dactylis glomerata shoots were significantly higher than those in the other 10 grass species. The AMF diversity of grassland in summer was substantially greater than that of the other three microhabitats (p &lt; 0.05). Discrepancies were observed within a given plant species across microhabitats; for example, in summer, the nitrogen concentration in the shoot of Iris tectorum in woodland was significantly higher than that in both forest and shrubland (p &lt; 0.05). A total of eight genera were detected in the AMF communities, which were dominated by Glomus, with a relative abundance of 45.4–94.4% in summer and 60.5–84.3% in winter. Moreover, the abundance of Glomus was significantly positively correlated with the content of alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen in soil and nitrogen in grasses according to the Mantel test. As a critical nutrient element in soil, nitrogen is beneficial for plant growth. Thus, these results provide a better understanding of the resilience of soil AMF community and the ecological adaptability of grasses in the subalpine ecosystems of northwestern Yunnan.

Optimum planting density of Amorpha fruticosa promotes the recovery of understory vegetation and the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal community in plantations in arid coal mining areas

AbstractEstablishment of plantations may be a useful means of vegetation reconstruction in coal mining areas, especially in fragile environments. However, the influence of shrub planting on the relationship between understory vegetation and soil microorganisms remains poorly understood. Here, we describe a field experiment in which the relationships between understory vegetation and soil microorganisms under different planting densities of Amorpha fruticosa L. (A. fruticosa) were investigated. Compared with areas allowed to recover naturally, shrub planting changed the community and increased the biomass of understory vegetation and soil microbes, especially of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). Planting density was also a key factor that influenced understory vegetation and the soil AMF community and biomass. The maximum diversity of understory vegetation and the AMF community occurred at an intermediate density of introduced shrubs, which was considered to be the optimum density of A. fruticosa. The major soil nutrient cycles that influence understory vegetation and the AMF community were also investigated. An optimum density of introduced shrubs was important in the ecological reconstruction of vegetation in the coal mining area. There may also have been an optimum relationship between the understory vegetation and soil microorganisms especially with AMF in the experimental conditions.

Year-round dynamics of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi communities in the roots and surrounding soils of Cryptomeria japonica

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) live simultaneously inside and outside of host plant roots for a functional mycorrhizal symbiosis. Still, the year-round dynamics and relationships between soil properties and AMF communities of trees in forest ecosystems remain unclear. We collected paired root and soil samples of the same Cryptomeria japonica trees at two forest sites (five trees at each site) every 2 months over a year. Total DNA was extracted from roots and soil separately and soil physicochemical properties were measured. With Illumina’s next-generation amplicon sequencing targeting the small subunit of fungal ribosomal DNA, we clarified seasonal dynamics of soil properties and AMF communities. Soil pH and total phosphorus showed significant seasonality while total carbon, nitrogen, and C/N did not. Only pH was a good predictor of the composition and dynamics of the AMF community. The total AMF community (roots + soil) showed significant seasonality because of variation from May to September. Root and soil AMF communities were steady year-round, however, with similar species richness but contained significantly different AMF assemblages in any sampling month. Despite the weak seasonality in the communities, the top two dominant OTUs showed significant but different shifts between roots and soils across seasons with strong antagonistic relationships. In conclusion, few dominant AMF taxa are dynamically shifting between the roots and soils of C. japonica to respond to seasonal and phenological variations in their microhabitats. AMF inhabiting forest ecosystems may have high environmental plasticity to sustain a functional symbiosis regardless of seasonal variations that occur in the soil.

Natural grass coverage enriches arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities in subtropical citrus orchards through the regulation of Glomus on a regional scale

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are ubiquitous soil fungi in orchard ecosystem, conferring a diverse array of benefits to citrus plants. However, how natural grass coverage, a common phenomenon in citrus orchards in southern China, shifts AM fungal communities in subtropical citrus orchards is far from being understood, especially on a regional scale, which impedes the understanding of the indigenous AM fungal adaptations. In this study, natural grass coverage rate, soil chemical properties, and soil AM fungal community in 80 sampling sites spanning 179, 700 km2 area in subtropical citrus orchards were investigated. The result of 18S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing revealed that a total of eight AM fungal genera were identified and Glomus (90.15 %) was dominant genus in the community in citrus orchards. Natural grass coverage significantly increased soil organic matter (SOM), soil available phosphorus, and AM fungal alpha diversity, especially Glomus. Variation partitioning analysis revealed that grass coverage rate explained more variation in AM fungal alpha diversity than SOM. All the contrasting AM fungal species between different grass coverage rates and all the core AM fungal species belonged to Glomus. Null model analysis revealed that determinism played a slightly larger role in the assembly process of AM fungal communities than stochasticity with a distance-decay relationship. Moreover, natural grass coverage increased the relative importance of stochasticity in the community assembly. Taken together, these results suggest that maintaining natural grass coverage (naturally growing grass) is an effective nature-based solution for enriching AM fungal communities, which is essential for the sustainability of citrus production.

Earthworms facilitated pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) growth via enhancing the population and function of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in a low-density polyethylene-contaminated soil

Microplastics (MPs) produced by the decomposition of plastics exist persistently, interfering with soil fertility and plant nutrition. Both arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and earthworms are beneficial in terrestrial ecosystems, but their interactions under MPs contamination are unclear so far. Here, the influences of inoculating earthworms (Eisenia fetida) on indigenous AM fungi and pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) growth were investigated in a vegetable soil treated with 0.1% low-density polyethylene (LDPE), while the specific interactions of earthworm and AM fungus (Funneliformis caledonium) under LDPE contamination were further resolved in another experiment using sterilized soil. Inoculation of earthworms shifted soil AM fungal community structure, replacing the predominant genus Glomus by Paraglomus, and increased the abundance, diversity (i.e., Shannon) index, and root colonization rate of AM fungi by 108, 34.6 and 45.0%, respectively. Earthworms also significantly decreased soil pH, and significantly increased soil alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, shoot biomass and fruit yield of pepper by 394, 82.8 and 188%, respectively. In the sterilized soil, both E. fetida and F. caledonium improved pepper growth, while the latter noticeably increased phosphorus (P) translocation efficiency from root to shoot, and the combination induced the highest soil ALP activity and pepper fruit yield. Furthermore, the significantly interactive effects between earthworm and AM fungus were observed in soil pH and available P concentration, as well as in shoot P concentration and fruit yield of pepper. This study revealed the interaction between earthworms and AM fungi under MPs contamination conditions for the first time, indicating that earthworms could facilitate vegetable growth via enhancing the propagation and P-promoting function of AM fungi in LDPE-contaminated soils.Graphical

The Addition of a High Concentration of Phosphorus Reduces the Diversity of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in Temperate Agroecosystems

Phosphorus (P) is an essential macronutrient crucial for both plant growth and crop production, playing a pivotal role in agriculture since the early 20th century. The symbiotic relationship between AMF and plants serves as a classic illustration. These fungi play a regulatory role in the growth and development of plants, especially in facilitating the absorption of P and carbon molecules by plants. While there has been a growing body of research on the community assembly of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in recent decades, our knowledge of the processes governing the coexistence of these AMF communities influenced by P in agroecosystems remains limited. To investigate the impact of various P fertilizers on AMF communities in temperate agroecosystems, this study was conducted using soils sourced from wheat–maize rotation farmland at Henan Agricultural University Yuanyang Base. With the Illumina MiSeq high-throughput sequencing technique, we systematically examined the taxonomic composition of soil AMF at the Yuanyang Base of Henan Agricultural University in a wheat–maize rotation agricultural field. Our primary objective was to unravel the mechanisms behind AMF community assembly and stability under varying P gradient fertilization conditions. Nonmetric Multidimensional Scaling (NMDS) analysis revealed significant differences among AMF communities in field soil subjected to various treatments (p &lt; 0.05). A torus translations test demonstrated positive associations with the three treatments in 36 out of the 51 examined AMF operational taxonomic units (OTUs), making up 70.59% (p &lt; 0.05) of the results. Furthermore, 37.84% (14/37) of the OTUs displayed preferences for the low P concentration treatment, while 34.29% (12/35) and 32.26% (10/31) favored medium and high P concentrations, respectively. An analysis of the Normalized Stochasticity Ratio (NST) and Checkerboard Score (C-score) indicated that in temperate agroecosystems, deterministic processes predominantly governed AMF in all treatment groups, with high P conditions exerting a stronger influence than low or medium P conditions. This study underscores the profound impact of long-term P fertilizer application on AMF community structures within temperate agricultural systems employing wheat–maize rotation. Additionally, it highlights the dominant role played by deterministic processes in shaping the assembly of AMF communities in these temperate agricultural systems that use P fertilizers. These findings emphasize the need for balanced nutrient management, particularly concerning P, to ensure the stability of AMF communities.

Effects of Annual Crop Rotation and Fallow on Soil AMF Community and Aggregate Stability

To investigate the effects of crop rotation and fallow on the community composition of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and the stability of soil aggregates, AMF community and aggregates were measured using Illumina MiSeq high-throughput sequencing and wet screening methods in red soil of sloping farmland. The AMF community and its relationship with soil factors and aggregate stability were studied under the four treatments of vetch rotation corn (V-C), pea rotation corn (P-C), winter fallow corn (F-C), and annual fallow (F-F). The results showed that the aggregate content of >2 mm, R0.25, and MWD in the F-F, V-C, and P-C treatments were significantly higher than those in F-C (P<0.05), and the aggregate content of <0.25 mm was significantly lower than that of F-C (P<0.05). The ACE, Chao1, and Shannon indexes of the F-F treatment were 29.56%, 35.78%, and 45.55% higher than those of the F-C treatment, respectively. Glomus was the dominant genus of AMF communities under all treatments, whereas Scutellospora showed a significant difference among the treatments (P<0.05). PCoA analysis showed that PC1 and PC2 together explained 29.99% and 22.40% of the difference in the AMF community composition, respectively. The correlation analysis showed that there was a significant negative correlation between Scutellospora and alkaline nitrogen (AN) and organic matter (SOM) (P<0.05), a significant positive correlation between Scutellospora and available potassium (AK) (P<0.05), and a significant positive correlation between Glomus and alkaline nitrogen (P<0.05). RDA analysis showed that AMF diversity (Shannon index) and Scutellospora were significantly and positively correlated with aggregate content >2 mm and 2-1 mm, respectively (P<0.05). Therefore, annual fallow and vetch rotation corn were conducive to improving the stability of soil aggregates and changing the composition of the AMF community. The research results provide a theoretical basis and reference for the annual rotation system to improve soil quality and implement a reasonable crop rotation and fallow pattern in southern China.

Ecotype and fungal endophyte status differentially affect soil arbuscular mycorrhizal community of the native grass Bromus auleticus

In wild native grasses, the colonization of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) is higher in Epichloë-infected plants (E+) compared to Epichloë-free plants (E−). To explore the correlation between the host ecotype, Epichloë association, and the soil AMF community, a common garden experiment was conducted. To achieve this, the soil AMF community of two Bromus auleticus ecotypes, El Palmar (EP) and La Pampa (LP), with either E+ or E−endophyte status, was analyzed using high throughput sequencing. The total mycorrhizal colonization of E+ plants from both EP and LP ecotypes showed significantly higher values (178.68% and 132.34% respectively) compared to E−plants, regardless of the ecotype. Alpha and Beta diversity analysis revealed significant differences in AMF richness and composition between the El Palmar (EP) and La Pampa (LP) ecotypes. However, no differences were observed in the soil AMF communities between E+ and E−plants. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that Epichloë symbiosis and host ecotype have distinct effects on various aspects of the AMF-Bromus auleticus association.

Arbuscular Mycorrhizae Fungi Diversity in the Root–Rhizosphere–Soil of Tetraena mongolica, Sarcozygium xanthoxylon, and Nitraria tangutorum Bobr in Western Ordos, China

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are considered to be an essential indicator of ecosystem biodiversity and can increase a plant’s ability to withstand arid conditions. Despite the obvious significance of AMF in the root and rhizosphere system, little is known about how the AMF variety varies between the soil and roots of endangered plants and how this varies depending on habitats in dry and semiarid regions. This study aimed to address this research gap by investigating the characteristics and diversity of AMF colonization in Zygophyllaceae. Using Illumina MiSeq high-throughput sequencing, indigenous AMF in the roots and rhizosphere soil of three endangered plants (Tetraena mongolica, Sarcozygium xanthoxylon, and Nitraria tangutorum Bobr) were investigated. The three threatened plants had different AMF populations in their root and rhizosphere soils, according to a hierarchical clustering analysis. AMF communities in rhizosphere soil were more sensitive to LDA than root AMF communities based on linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe). Glomus, Septoglomus, and Rhizophagus were seen to function as dominant fungi as the soil and root AMF populations carried out their various tasks in the soil and roots as a cohesive collective. Distance-based redundancy analysis (db-RDA) showed that pH, total phosphorus, and accessible potassium were closely associated with AMF communities. The pH of the soil appears to be an important factor in determining AMF community stability. These findings can serve as a guide for the use of AM fungus in the rehabilitation of agricultural land in arid regions. In summary, our work contributed new knowledge for the scientific preservation of these endangered plant species and for the further investigation of the symbiotic link between AMF and endangered plant species.

Paired Root-Soil Samples and Metabarcoding Reveal Taxon-Based Colonization Strategies in Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Communities in Japanese Cedar and Cypress Stands.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in the roots and soil surrounding their hosts are typically independently investigated and little is known of the relationships between the communities of the two compartments. We simultaneously collected root and surrounding soil samples from Cryptomeria japonica (Cj) and Chamaecyparis obtusa (Co) at three environmentally different sites. Based on molecular and morphological analyses, we characterized their associated AMF communities. Cj was more densely colonized than Co and that root colonization intensity was significantly correlated with soil AMF diversity. The communities comprised 15 AMF genera dominated by Glomus and Paraglomus and 1443 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) of which 1067 and 1170 were in roots and soil, respectively. AMF communities were significantly different among sites, and the root AMF communities were significantly different from those of soil at each site. The root and soil AMF communities responded differently to soil pH. At the genus level, Glomus and Acaulospora were abundant in roots while Paraglomus and Redeckera were abundant in soil. Our findings suggest that AMF colonizing roots are protected from environmental stresses in soil. However, the root-soil-abundant taxa have adapted to both environments and represent a model AMF symbiont. This evidence of strategic exploitation of the rhizosphere by AMF supports prior hypotheses and provides insights into community ecology.