Biodiversity Of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Research Articles

Precipitation and temperature shape the biogeography of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi across the Brazilian Caatinga

AbstractAimDeterministic and neutral processes shape the biogeography of fungi. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), an important group of plant root symbionts, remains poorly studied in the Neotropics. Here, we provided the first molecular survey of AMF diversity and tested whether the environment or space shapes AMF biogeography along a 12° latitudinal transect in the Brazilian Caatinga, a unique tropical dry forest ecoregion.LocationCaatinga, Brazil.TaxonArbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (Glomeromycotina).MethodsSoil and root samples were collected across a latitudinal transect of 1500 km within the Brazilian Caatinga. AMF communities were characterized using Illumina LSU amplicon sequencing. Operational taxonomic unit (OTU) richness, composition and phylogenetic niche conservatism were assessed using univariate and multivariate analyses, and the potential for new taxa discovery was assessed with BLAST analysis against reference and environmental sequences sets.ResultGlomeraceae was the most abundant and diverse family, resembling more dry Saharo‐Arabian and Australian realms or European croplands than other tropical forests from South America, but 10% of the OTUs could be taxa new to science, especially within Archaeospora, Claroideoglomus, Acaulospora, Gigaspora, Dentiscutata and Redeckera. AMF communities showed strong biogeographical structure inconsistent with a classical latitudinal diversity gradient, which further differed between soil and roots. Soil AMF biogeography best correlated with precipitation; community composition converged and richness increased towards both ends of the latitudinal transect where precipitation increased. Root AMF biogeography correlated to temperature, with decreasing diversity at higher temperatures. We found no evidence of phylogenetic niche conservatism.Main conclusionsNiche‐based processes driven by regional climate, most importantly precipitation and temperature, shape AMF biogeography across the Caatinga, with niche divergence among closely related AMF taxa. Given the expected future decrease in precipitation and increase in temperature, climate change may strongly affect the unique and yet unknown AMF biodiversity in neotropical dry forests.

Short Communication: Occurrence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi associated with Casuarina equisetifolia in saline sandy environment, North Sumatra, Indonesia

Abstract. Delvian, Hartanto A. 2022. Short Communication: Occurrence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi associated with Casuarina equisetifolia in saline sandy environment, North Sumatra, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 23: 2520-2525. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) form a mutualistic association with plant roots to cope in the extreme environments including the saline and sandy soils in the coastal areas. In this study, the occurrence of AMF associated with Casuarina equisetifolia that has been planted for coastal rehabilitation located at Cermin Beach, North Sumatra was investigated including its abiotic-biotic interactions from topsoils (0-20 cm) to subsoils (20-80 cm). A total of 10 AM fungal morphotypes were documented with Glomeraceae as the dominant AM fungal taxa (9 morphotypes) and a Glomoid morphotype exists in all soil depths. The number of AMF spores decreased as soil depth increased following other environmental conditions such as pH, soil P availability and soil moisture based on the result of Pearson’s correlation test. The results showed a moderate-to-low level of biodiversity of AMF based on Shannon’s diversity index. The findings revealed the vertical distribution of AMF in a saline environment and supported the planting of C. equisetifolia which successfully recruited the indigenous AMF to form a symbiosis to thrive in the stressful environment.

Biodiversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in plant roots and rhizosphere soil from different arid land environment of Qatar.

Recently more attention has been observed toward the role of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in plant growth. Qatar belongs to the Arabian Gulf region with hot and dry climatic conditions. The study aims to investigate the species composition and abundance of AMF in Qatar, rhizosphere soil samples, and roots of plants from 12 families and 8 different locations. The AMF were identified based on the sequencing of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) product of the amplified conserved ITS region. The reported AMF infection rate was found to vary with location and plant species. Tamarix aphylla recorded the highest AMF infection rate (100%), followed by Blepharis ciliaris (98%) and Sporobolus ioclados (92%). AMF spore counts ranged from 29.3 spores in Blepharis ciliaris to 643 spores/100 g soil in Fagonia indica. No correlation was detected between colonization rate and spore counts. While all AMF identified at species levels were reported in other regions, new species are still expected since some were identified only at higher taxonomic levels. Claroideoglomus drummondii and Rhizophagus irregularis were the most widespread while Claroideoglomus claroideum and Diversispora aurantia were the least present. Our results fill the gap of knowledge of AMF in the region and opens new research toward its future applications for sustainable agriculture.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal community responses to drought and nitrogen fertilization in switchgrass stands

Anthropogenic global change is increasing the severity and frequency of abiotic stresses such as drought that are likely to affect soil communities. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) play important roles in many soil processes, so it is important to understand how drought affects AMF biodiversity. This is especially relevant in agricultural systems where crops rely on AMF associations for water and nutrient uptake, and where management decisions such as crop selection and fertilizer application may influence how the AMF community responds to drought. In this study, we examined the effects of reduced precipitation and nitrogen fertilization on AMF richness, community composition, and root and soil colonization in monocultures of two cultivars of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) grown for bioenergy feedstock. We conducted a two-year field experiment using rain-out shelters to manipulate precipitation in mature stands of switchgrass growing in a long-term nitrogen fertilization (0 or 56 kg N ha−1) experiment at the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station Long-Term Ecological Research site in Michigan, USA. We expected that AMF richness and colonization would decrease due to drought, as predicted by the stress exclusion hypothesis. Contrary to our expectations, we found that drought stress increased AMF species richness in fertilized plots by 15%; there was no effect of drought on AMF richness in unfertilized plots. Drought also significantly altered AMF community composition, primarily due to increases in Rhizophagus taxa abundance, and reduced AMF root colonization in switchgrass by 6%. We also found variation in AMF richness and colonization across switchgrass cultivars as well as sampling dates. The changes in AMF richness and composition that we observed in this study may have implications for perennial bioenergy feedstock selection and management as changes in AMF communities may feedback to affect host plants.

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Colonization in a Mangrove Forest Exposed to Weathering Oil for Half a Century

Plants establish symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMFs) for nutrient exchange and also for tolerance to contaminants. During February 2019, soil and rhizosphere samples of Laguncularia racemosa (Lr) and Avicennia germinans (Ag) were collected on 4.15 hectares of a mangrove forest established in Histosol affected since 1967 by chronic oil spill in southeastern Mexico. The site was divided into four zones based on the amounts of total hydrocarbons of weathered petroleum (THWPs) accumulated in the soil for half a century. The abundance of intraradical propagules and the colonization structure of the AMFs in the roots of the two mangrove species were compared. The density of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSBs) in soil and rhizosphere samples was also evaluated. The degraded oil stimulated the amount of PSBs in Lr but not in Ag. AMF biodiversity was lower in the Ag root; however, spore abundance was higher. We found abundant spores of Glomus claroideum and Diversispora aurantium in tertiary and quaternary roots of the Ag in soils contaminated with 48462 mg of THWPs. This study provides evidence of the presence and abundance of intraradical propagules in different types of roots, which may be an alternative that contributes to the understanding of oil dissipation and in future applications for the restoration of degraded ecosystems.

Impact of land use history on the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal diversity in arid soils of Argentinean farming fields.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are a key soil functional group, with an important potential to increase crop productivity and sustainable agriculture including food security. However, there is clear evidence that land uses, crop rotations and soil features affect the AMF diversity and their community functioning in many agroecosystems. So far, the information related to AMF biodiversity in ecosystems like the Argentinean Puna, an arid high plateau where plants experience high abiotic stresses, is still scarce. In this work, we investigated morphological and molecular AMF diversity in soils of native corn, bean and native potato Andean crops, under a familiar land use, in Chaupi Rodeo (Jujuy, Argentina), without agrochemical supplements but with different histories of crop rotation. Our results showed that AMF morphological diversity was not only high and variable among the three different crop soils but also complemented by Illumina MiSeq data. The multivariate analyses highlighted that total fungal diversity is significantly affected by the preceding crop plants and the rotation histories, more than from the present crop species, while AMF communities are significantly affected by preceding crop only in combination with the effect of nitrogen and calcium soil concentration. This knowledge will give useful information on appropriate familiar farming.

AMF communities associated to Vitis vinifera in an Italian vineyard subjected to integrated pest management at two different phenological stages

Vitis vinifera L. is an economically important crop that can be influenced by soil microorganisms, including arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), that establish symbiotic associations with its roots. AMF have beneficial effects on grapevine performance improving water use efficiency and replant success. Most grapevine varieties are susceptible to various diseases, and integrated pest management (IPM) is one of the emerging approaches to perform pest control. In the present study, we examined the AMF communities present in the soil associated to the roots of V. vinifera cv. Pinot Noir (comparing them to those present in a soil not affected by grapevine roots), in a vineyard subjected to IPM at two different phenological stages, using 454 Roche sequencing technology. We proposed a new approach to analyze sequencing data. Most of the taxa were included in the family Glomeraceae. In particular, Glomus sp. Rhizophagus sp. and Septoglomus viscosum were present. The family Archeosporaceae was represented only by the genus Archeospora sp. Different AMF communities were found in the two soils and the importance of the phenological stage in regulating AMF biodiversity was assessed.

The Influence of No-till Farming on Durum Wheat Mycorrhization in a Semi-Arid Region: A Long-Term Field Experiment

Maintaining a reliable and sustainable agricultural production system has become one of the major concerns of producers in arid and semi-arid regions. Simplifying farming techniques and practicing Direct Seedling (DS) could contribute to insure the sustainability of agriculture, preserving the natural resources and the environment. Direct Seedling based on limiting soil plowing has a potential number of benefits, including reduced production costs and soil erosion. Associated with the organic mulch, this technique improves the soil fertility and favors the establishment of root symbioses. Given the importance of the no-till farming techniques, the present research work aims to compare the effects of DS and those of Conventional Seedling (CS) on the evolution of arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis in durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf) roots, cultivated in the field for five years. Soil and root samples were collected during three different cropping stages at two different treatments. The results of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) root colonization kinetics have shown an increase in the percentage of arbuscules and a decrease in vesicles for plants sampled from a DS field compared to those from CS. Effects of the DS on the mycorrhizal parameters appears clearly in the fourth year of the experiment and continues in the fifth year, with an arbuscule percentage reaching 80% in a DS field and not exceeding 21% in a CS field. Soil phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) C16:1ω5 (biomarker of AMF) and C18:2ω 6, 9 (biomarker of saprophytic/ectomycorrhizal fungi) demonstrate that no-till practice improves AMF biomass and saprotrophic/ectomycorrhizal fungal biomasses by 52 and 159%, respectively, in comparison with those found in a CS field. In both treatments, no-till farming and CS plots, the AMF biomass is higher than saprotrophic/ectomycorrhizal biomasses. The natural biodiversity of AMF is also enhanced in a no-till field. In addition, an increase in the relative abundance of six families of Glomeromycota (Gigasporaceae, Diversisporaceae, Scutellosporaceae, Entrophosporaceae, Acaulosporaceae, Dentiscutataceae) was observed. To summarize, the present study highlights the importance of no-till practice as an approach to restore the microbiome in soils disturbed by tillage in semi-arid regions.

Identification of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in soils of the North Caucasus based on Illumina MiSeq data for ITS1 and ITS2 regions

The objective of our research was to analyze the efficiency of identification of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) for 2 regions: ITS1 and ITS2 regions of AMF DNA isolated from the soils of the North Caucasus (Karachay-Cherkessia). For the first time the necessity of different AMF species identification using both ITS regions was revealed, but not one region. The research demonstrated: 1) the set of taxa is different using ITS1- and ITS2-based identification; 2) analysis of the ITS1 region reveals a greater number of operational taxonomic units; 3) ITS2 allows identification of AMF at the species level more often. Sample preparation for Illumina MiSeq analysis was optimized. Obligatory stages in the sample preparation were the purification of DNA in the agarose gel in Silica after isolation, as well as separate amplification of ITS1 and ITS2 followed by combining and joint sequencing for each sample. The results showed the highest AMF biodiversity for the 176Te sample from the ecosystem of the subalpine meadow of the southeastern slope of Malaya Hatipara mountain (43°25′48.0″N 41°42′31.0″E; 2401 m above sea level), in which 8 species of AMF were identified (Archaeospora spainiae, Claroideoglomus claroideum, Diversispora versiformis, Entrophpora infrequens, Funneliformis mosseae, Glomus indicum, Paraglomus laccatum, Rhizophagus irregularis).

Biodiversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi associated with selected medicinal plants of Hamirpur district of Himachal Pradesh, India

The present investigation was focused on exploration of biodiversity of Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) associated with different medicinal plants. Twenty-two medicinal plants belonging to 14 families were analyzed for AMF colonization. The plant roots and their respective rhizosphereic soil samples were collected from different localities of hamirpur district, himachal pardesh for AMF analysis and spore assessment per 50gm of soil sample of soil. The results revealed that number of AM spores in the rhizosphere of plant was not related to percent of AM root colonization. Highest per cent of root colonization was reported in Ricinus communis (86.5±4.68 %) and Achyranthes aspera lacks colonization. Highest number of AM spore was found in rhizosperic soil sample of Mimosa pudica (177.4±4.306) and least number of spores in Datura stramonium (47.53±2.76). Fourty three AM species belonging to five genera i.e. Glomus, Acaulospora, Gigaspora, Entrophospora and Sclerocystis were isolated during investigation. Maximum AM spore diversity was observed in Mentha viridis followed by Catharanthus roseus and least diversity related to Datura stramonium. The study confirmed that diversity of AM fungi varies with plant to plant.

Research advances in species diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in terrestrial agro-ecosystem

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are ancient and ubiquitous soil microorganisms, which can form mutually beneficial association with most terrestrial plants. Within the symbiotic relationship, AMF helps their host plants to absorb nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus while obtains carbon from the hosts. AMF plays an important role in agricultural ecosystem, including promoting plant growth, improving crop quality, increasing plant stress resistance, stabilizing soil structure, keeping ecological balance, and maintaining a sustainable agricultural development. We summarized the research advances of AMF in terrestrial agro-ecosystem in recent years, by focusing on AMF species diversity, spatial and temporal distribution, and influence factors of AMF biodiversity in terrestrial agro-ecosystem of China. Further research works were also prospected.

Edaphic and host plant factors are linked to the composition of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities in the root zone of endangered Ulmus chenmoui Cheng in China.

Despite the importance of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) within deciduous forest ecosystems, we know little about how natural AMF communities are structured in the root zone of the endangered elm species Ulmus chenmoui. In this study, three U. chenmoui sampling sites, differing with respect to plant health, age, and growth status, were selected in Anhui Province, China. AMF biodiversity in the root zones of individual U. chenmoui trees was investigated using high‐throughput sequencing. In total, 61 AMF operational taxonomic units were detected. Five genera, namely Glomus (62.82%), Paraglomus (17.82%), Rhizophagus (4.29%), Septoglomus (4.06%) and Funneliformis (2.35%), and 29 species of AMF were identified. Correlation analysis indicated that available soil phosphorus and potassium concentrations were the main edaphic factors influencing AMF community structure. There was a difference in AMF species richness among the three U. chenmoui stands. Our study showed that soil nutrient concentrations and plant health, age, and growth status can exert a selective effect on the composition of the AMF population in the soil in the root zones of U. chenmoui trees.

Preliminary study on biodiversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) plantations in Thailand

Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) is one of the promising crop plants which has been used as raw material for producing daily products. In agricultural ecosystems, crop plants could develop a plant-fungal association with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). The objectives of this study were to determine the AMF biodiversity and mycorrhizal infection percentage (MIP) from field-collected soil samples of three oil palm plantations from Nong Khai, Surat Thani, and Chiang Rai provinces of Thailand. Soil characteristics (moisture content, pH, and available phosphorus) were also measured. Thirteen AMF species belonging to seven genera were identified from all soil samples, whereas Glomus spp. and Acaulospora spp. were most commonly found species. AMF biodiversity value from Chiang Rai was statistically different from other two provinces (p < 0.05). MIP value of soil samples from Surat Thani was statistically different as well. Furthermore, soil pH showed a positive correlation with AMF biodiversity. These results confirmed that AMF normally occurs in oil palm plantations, but at different levels of biodiversity possibly due to different environmental factors in each plantation. Nevertheless, this information could be useful for using AMF in plant growth promoter and pathogen resistance programs in order to achieve the agricultural sustainability, especially in oil palm plantations.

Filling the Gaps: Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Biodiversity in the Tropical Ecosystems

Modern Concepts & Developments in Agronomy Filling the Gaps: Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Biodiversity in the Tropical Ecosystems Geofrey E Soka* Department of Wildlife Management, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania *Corresponding author: Geofrey E Soka, Department of Wildlife Management, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3073, Tanzania, East Africa Submission: September 09, 2017; Published: February 23, 2018 DOI: 10.31031/MCDA.2018.01.000511 ISSN: 2637-7659 Volume1 Issue3

Relationships between flora biodiversity, soil physiochemical properties, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) diversity in a semi-arid forest

Background and aim – Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) communities are a main component of soil. They could be an indicator of fertility of semi-arid ecosystems. We aimed to analyse the biodiversity of AMF and understorey plants in Zagros forest (Iran), and to find their relationships with environmental conditions (physiography and soil).Methods – Seventy-five plots (20 m × 20 m) were randomly divided from 1 700 to 1 900 m a.s.l. In each plot, four 1.5 m × 1.5 m microplots were established and all trees, shrubs, and herbaceous species coverage were recorded. Furthermore, four soil samples were taken from a depth of 0–20 cm in each microplot (one pooled sample for each main plot) by auger in spring. These soil samples were used for AMF assessment and soil physiochemical properties.Results – Seventeen AMF species (in Glomeraceae, Claroideoglomeraceae, Diversisporaceae, Gigasporaceae, and Acaulosporaceae) and 47 plant taxa (in Poaceae, Asteraceae, Fabaceae and fourteen other families) were identified. Tests determined that the factors soil P, slope, tree coverage, litter thickness, and soil texture affect AMF and plant communities. Soil physiochemical properties have an effect on AMF, plant diversity, and evenness diversity indices. Furthermore, there is a high correlation between plants and AMF diversity indices and any change in the plant diversity will result in AMF changes. The results also showed positive correlations between plant diversity and AMF diversity.Conclusions – AMF and plant diversity indices are highly correlated, but this correlation could be affected by soil physiochemical properties and environmental factors. Moreover, canopy coverage and litter thickness are considered as strongly influencing both plants and AMF.

Biodiversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in Amygdalus scoparia Spach plantations and a natural stand

The biodiversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) was surveyed in the Kolm region of Iran in three adjacent sites, a natural stand, a 10-year-old and a 15-year-old plantation of Amygdalus scoparia. To date, there have been few studies of AMF biodiversity in Iran, especially in the western forests of the country. For this study, soil and root samples were taken from A. scoparia rhizosphere soil in spring and autumn. Almost half of the root length was colonized by AMF. We identified 13 AMF species belonging to Glomeraceae, Claroideoglomeraceae or Diversisporaceae. The three plantations differed in terms of soil electrical conductivity, organic C and P. Spore density was significant correlated with P concentration. Root length colonization was correlated only with soil Ca. Species diversity and richness were significantly correlated with soil N, P, organic C and spore density. AMF diversity in 15-year-old plantations was more similar to that in the natural stand than in the 10-year-old plantation. We confirmed that a 15-year-old plantation is not similar in terms of AMF colonization to natural stands. We conclude that more than 15 years are required for AMF colonization of plantations to resemble that of natural stands.

Uniting species- and community-oriented approaches to understand arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal diversity

Abstract Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) occur in the majority of terrestrial, and some aquatic, habitats worldwide. They are important for the functioning of individual plants and of entire ecosystems. Here, we review trends in research on species- (species recognition, phylogenetic relationships, autecology) and community-level AMF diversity patterns and aim to identify ways of improving the complementarity of these approaches. Research into many aspects of AMF diversity has flourished in parallel with the increasing availability of molecular biology techniques. However, despite their shared goal of understanding AMF biodiversity, species- and community-level perspectives, and the morphological and molecular approaches that underpin them, currently have limited capacity for information exchange. We indicate critical research gaps in AMF species and community characterisation and outline important research directions. We propose steps that could link research using different methods and targeting different aspects of diversity, in order to maximise our understanding of AMF.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi biodiversity: prospecting in Southern-Central zone of Chile. A review

The main factors affecting the diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are host plant, environmental characteristics and geographical location. A better understanding of the influence of land use changes on AMF abundance will help in improving their management, leading to improved plant productivity in soils, and will also be useful in designing more sustainable agronomic management practices. The aim of this work was to document the occurrence and diversity of AMF species in the Southern Central zone of Chile. This information has been generated by seven separate studies which provide the basis for discussion of the AMF species found in this zone. The work includes a bibliographic review of the records from croplands, grasslands and forests generated by collections made during the period 2004-2014 in Chile. Overall we recorded 21 genera and 66 species of Glomeromycota. This represents 24% of species of AMF known so far. Acaulospora represents 23% of all species and Glomus 20%. It is concluded that more studies are needed in this and other regions of Chile for a more comprehensive knowledge of the AMF diversity in the country. These biodiversity studies will help to define the ecology of these important soil microbiological resources.

The molecular diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the arsenic mining impacted sites in Hunan Province of China

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can establish a mutualistic association with most terrestrial plants even in heavy metal contaminated environments. It has been documented that high concentrations of toxic metals, such as arsenic (As) in soil could adversely affect the diversity and function of AMF. However, there are still gaps in understanding the community composition of AMF under long-term As contaminations. In the present study, six sampling sites with different As concentrations were selected in the Realgar mining area in Hunan Province of China. The AMF biodiversity in the rhizosphere soils of the dominant plant species was investigated by sequencing the nuclear small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene fragments using 454-pyrosequencing technique. A total of 11 AMF genera were identified, namely Rhizophagus, Glomus, Funneliformis, Acaulospora, Diversispora, Claroideoglomus, Scutellopora, Gigaspora, Ambispora, Praglomus, and Archaeospora, among which Glomus, Rhizophagus, and Claroideoglomus clarodeum were detected in all sampling sites, and Glomus was the dominant AMF genus in the Realgar mining area. Redundancy analysis indicated that soil pH, total As and Cd concentrations were the main factors influencing AMF community structure. There was a negative correlation between the AMF species richness and the total As concentration in the soil, but no significant correlation between the Shannon–Wiener index of the AMF and plants. Our study showed that high As concentrations can exert a selective effect on the AMF populations.

Impact of soil salinity on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi biodiversity and microflora biomass associated with Tamarix articulata Vahll rhizosphere in arid and semi-arid Algerian areas

Soil salinization is an increasingly important problem in many parts of the world, particularly under arid and semi-arid areas. Unfortunately, the knowledge about restoration of salt affected ecosystems using mycorrhizae is limited. The current study aims to investigate the impact of salinity on the microbial richness of the halophytic plant Tamarix articulata rhizosphere. Soil samples were collected from natural sites with increasing salinity (1.82–4.95 ds.m−1). Six arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) species were isolated from the different saline soils and identified as Septoglomus constrictum, Funneliformis mosseae, Funneliformis geosporum, Funneliformis coronatum, Rhizophagus fasciculatus, and Gigaspora gigantea. The number of AMF spores increased with soil salinity. Total root colonization rate decreased from 65 to 16% but remained possible with soil salinity. Microbial biomass in T. articulata rhizosphere was affected by salinity. The phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) C16:1ω5 as well as i15:0, a15:0, i16:0, i17:0, a17:0, cy17:0, C18:1ω7 and cy19:0 increased in high saline soils suggesting that AMF and bacterial biomasses increased with salinity. In contrast, ergosterol amount was negatively correlated with soil salinity indicating that ectomycorrhizal and saprotrophic fungal biomasses were reduced with salinity. Our findings highlight the adaptation of arbuscular and bacterial communities to natural soil salinity and thus the potential use of mycorrhizal T. articulata trees as an approach to restore moderately saline disturbed arid lands.