Effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on grassland productivity are altered by future climate and below-ground resource availability

We investigated the effects of mycorrhizal colonization and future climate on roots and soil respiration (Rsoil) in model grassland ecosystems. We exposed artificial grassland communities on pasteurized soil (no living arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) present) and on pasteurized soil subsequently inoculated with AMF to ambient conditions and to a combination of elevatedCO2and temperature (future climate scenario). After one growing season, the inoculated soil revealed a positive climate effect on AMF root colonization and this elicited a significant AMF x climate scenario interaction on root biomass. Whereas the future climate scenario tended to increase root biomass in the noninoculated soil, the inoculated soil revealed a 30% reduction of root biomass under warming at elevatedCO2(albeit not significant). This resulted in a diminished response ofRsoilto simulated climatic change, suggesting that AMF may contribute to an attenuated stimulation ofRsoilin a warmer, highCO2world.

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Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi mediate below-ground plant-herbivore interactions: a phylogenetic study

Functional Ecology ◽

10.1111/j.1365-2435.2012.02046.x ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 26 (5) ◽

pp. 1033-1042 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

Rachel L. Vannette ◽

Sergio Rasmann

Keyword(s):

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi ◽

Mycorrhizal Fungi ◽

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal ◽

Phylogenetic Study ◽

Herbivore Interactions ◽

Below Ground ◽

Plant Herbivore

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Assemblages of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in tropical humid and dry forests in the Northeast of Brazil

Botany ◽

10.1139/cjb-2018-0068 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 96 (12) ◽

pp. 859-871 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Daniele Magna Azevedo de Assis ◽

Mayara Alice Correia de Melo ◽

Danielle Karla Alves da Silva ◽

Fritz Oehl ◽

Gladstone Alves da Silva

Keyword(s):

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi ◽

Mycorrhizal Fungi ◽

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal ◽

Dry Forest ◽

Northeastern Brazil ◽

Sampling Effort ◽

Humid Forest ◽

Below Ground ◽

Amf Communities ◽

High Diversity

Tropical forests concentrate most of the world’s biodiversity. In the Northeast of Brazil it is possible to record mosaics of tropical dry and moist forests growing nearby but with completely different biotic and abiotic characteristics. These forests are constantly threatened by intense environmental devastation that affect not only above-ground communities but also those hidden below-ground, such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), which act in maintaining ecosystem balance. This work aimed to determine the composition of native AMF communities in areas of humid forest (HF) and dry forest (DF) in northeastern Brazil. A total of 70 taxa of AMF were identified in the study areas, with Acaulospora (17) and Glomus (16) being the most representative genera. The sampling effort allowed the evaluation of 70%–73% of the species estimated for the areas. AMF communities differed between HF and DF areas. Species of the genus Glomus occurred predominantly in humid forest areas, whereas representatives of the order Gigasporales were associated more specifically with the dry forest area. Four soil attributes showed approximately 50% correlation with the composition of the AMF community (silt, clay, K, and CEC). Humid and dry forest areas presented a high diversity of AMF, and the soil properties were an important factor for the community composition of these fungi.

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