Perennial plant species from semiarid gypsum soils support higher AMF diversity in roots than the annual Bromus rubens

• Published in: Soil biology & biochemistry Vol. 49; pp. 132 - 138
• Main Authors: Alguacil, M.M., Torrecillas, E., Roldán, A., Díaz, G., Torres, M.P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Ltd 01-06-2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi; Archaeosporaceae; Auricula; Biochemistry and biology; Biological and medical sciences; Bromus rubens; Chemical, physicochemical, biochemical and biological properties; Diversity; Economic plant physiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Glomus; Gypsophilous; Gypsum soils; Herniaria; Herniaria fruticosa; Physics, chemistry, biochemistry and biology of agricultural and forest soils; Semiarid ecosystems; Senecio; Senecio auricula; Soil science; Symbiosis (nodules, symbiotic nitrogen fixation, mycorrhiza...); Gypsum soils; Bromus rubens; Gypsophilous; Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi; Diversity; Senecio auricula; Herniaria fruticosa; Semiarid ecosystems; Monocotyledones; Perennial plant; Compositae; Glomeromycota; Fungi; Gramineae; Semi arid zone; Dicotyledones; Ecosystem; Angiospermae; Soil science; Gypsum; Symbiont; Soils; Endomycorrhiza; Bromus; Mycorrhiza; Herbaceous plant; Spermatophyta; Senecio
• ISSN: 0038-0717; 1879-3428
• DOI: 10.1016/j.soilbio.2012.02.024

The arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) communities composition regulate plant interactions and determine the structure of plant communities. In this study we analysed the diversity of AMF in the roots of two perennial gypsophyte plant species, Herniaria fruticosa and Senecio auricula, and an annual herbaceous species, Bromus rubens, growing in a gypsum soil from a semiarid area. The objective was to determine whether perennial and annual host plants support different AMF communities in their roots. The roots were analysed by nested PCR, cloning, sequencing of the ribosomal DNA small subunit region and phylogenetic analysis. Twenty AMF sequence types, belonging to the Glomus group A, Glomus group B, Diversisporaceae, Acaulosporaceae, Archaeosporaceae and Paraglomeraceae, were identified. Both gypsophyte perennial species, H. fruticosa and S. auricula had different compositions of the AMF community and higher diversity than B. rubens. This annual plant species shared the full composition of its AMF community with both perennial plant species. Seasonal variations in the colonisation of AM fungi could explain the observed differences in AMF community composition, but this is still a working hypothesis that requires the analysis of further data obtained from a higher number of both annual and perennial plant species in order to be fully tested.
► The annual Bromus rubens shared the full composition of its AMF community with both gypsophyte perennial species. ► Herniaria fruticosa and Senecio auricula had different and higher AMF diversity than Bromus rubens. ► Differences in AMF diversity due to possible seasonal variations in AMF colonization.