scholarly journals Trait-based aerial dispersal of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Bala Chaudhary ◽  
Sarah Nolimal ◽  
Moisés A. Sosa-Hernández ◽  
Cameron Egan ◽  
Jude Kastens

SUMMARYDispersal is a key process driving local-scale community assembly and global-scale biogeography of plant symbiotic arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal communities. A trait-based approach could improve predictions regarding how AM fungal aerial dispersal varies by species.We conducted month-long collections of aerial AM fungi for 12 consecutive months in an urban mesic environment at heights of 20 m. We measured functional traits of all collected spores and assessed aerial AM fungal community structure both morphologically and with high-throughput sequencing.Large numbers of AM fungal spores were present in the air over the course of one year and these spores were more likely to exhibit traits that facilitate dispersal. Aerial spores were smaller than average for Glomeromycotinan fungi. Trait-based predictions indicate that nearly 1/3 of described species from diverse genera demonstrate the potential for aerial dispersal. Diversity of aerial AM fungi was relatively high (20 spore species and 17 virtual taxa) and both spore abundance and community structure shifted temporally.The prevalence of aerial dispersal in arbuscular mycorrhizas is perhaps greater than previously indicated and a hypothesized model of AM fungal dispersal mechanisms is presented. Anthropogenic soil impacts may initiate the dispersal of disturbance-tolerating AM fungal species and facilitate community homogenization.

Mycorrhiza ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 773-780
Author(s):  
Saskia Klink ◽  
Philipp Giesemann ◽  
Timo Hubmann ◽  
Johanna Pausch

Abstract Data for stable C and N isotope natural abundances of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are currently sparse, as fungal material is difficult to access for analysis. So far, isotope analyses have been limited to lipid compounds associated with fungal membranes or storage structures (biomarkers), fungal spores and soil hyphae. However, it remains unclear whether any of these components are an ideal substitute for intraradical AM hyphae as the functional nutrient trading organ. Thus, we isolated intraradical hyphae of the AM fungus Rhizophagus irregularis from roots of the grass Festuca ovina and the legume Medicago sativa via an enzymatic and a mechanical approach. In addition, extraradical hyphae were isolated from a sand-soil mix associated with each plant. All three approaches revealed comparable isotope signatures of R. irregularis hyphae. The hyphae were 13C- and 15N-enriched relative to leaves and roots irrespective of the plant partner, while they were enriched only in 15N compared with soil. The 13C enrichment of AM hyphae implies a plant carbohydrate source, whereby the enrichment was likely reduced by an additional plant lipid source. The 15N enrichment indicates the potential of AM fungi to gain nitrogen from an organic source. Our isotope signatures of the investigated AM fungus support recent findings for mycoheterotrophic plants which are suggested to mirror the associated AM fungi isotope composition. Stable isotope natural abundances of intraradical AM hyphae as the functional trading organ for bi-directional carbon-for-mineral nutrient exchanges complement data on spores and membrane biomarkers.


2021 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 12454
Author(s):  
Rui-Ting SUN ◽  
Ze-Zhi ZHANG ◽  
Nong ZHOU ◽  
A.K. SRIVASTAVA ◽  
Kamil KUČA ◽  
...  

Medicinal plants are well known to have the advantages of high concentration of medicinal ingredients having clinical importance, curative value, small toxic and side effects. Important compounds viz., paclitaxel, camptothecin, and vincristine have been developed from medicinal plants as first-line of clinical drugs, leading to their consistently increasing demand globally. However, the destruction of natural environment due to excessive mining threatened such resources jeopardizing the successful growing of medicinal plants. A group of beneficial arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi is known to exist in the rhizosphere of medicinal plants, which can establish a reciprocal symbiosis with their roots, namely arbuscular mycorrhizas. These AM fungi are pivotal in the habitat adaptation of medicinal plants. Studies have demonstrated that AM fungi aided in growth promotion and nutrient absorption of medicinal plants, thereby, accelerating the accumulation of medicinal ingredients and aiding resistance against abiotic stresses such as drought, low temperature, and salinity. An AM-like fungus Piriformospora indica is known to be cultured in vitro without roots, later showed analogous effects of AM fungi on medicinal plants. These fungi provide new mechanistic pathways towards the artificial cultivation of medicinal plants loaded with ingredients in huge demand in international market. This review provides an overview of the diversity of AM fungi inhabiting the rhizosphere of medicinal plants, and analyzes the functioning of AM fungi and P. indica, coupled with future lines of research.


HortScience ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 463A-463
Author(s):  
Rhoda Burrows ◽  
Francis Pfleger

Growing a plant host in association with other plant species (i.e., increasing diversity) changes the composition of the associated arbuscular–mycorrhizal (AM) fungal community. We tested whether this alteration in the fungal community causes significant differences in the growth of Schizachyrium scoparium L. (Little Bluestem, a C4 grass) or Lespedeza capitata L. (Bush clover, a legume). Seedlings were transplanted into pasteurized soil inoculated with soil from monoculture plots of Schizachyrium or Lespedeza, respectively, vs. plots containing one, seven, or 15 additional plant species. Soil washes from a composite of the plots were added to all pots, including non-inoculated controls, to reduce differences in the non-AM microbial communities. Spore counts of the inoculum from Lespedeza plots showed increasing numbers of AM fungal spores and species richness with increasing plant diversity; this was not true with the Schizachyrium plots, possibly because Schizachyrium may be a better host to more species of AM fungi than Lespedeza. Both Schizachyrium and Lespedeza responded to inoculation with increased growth compared to non-inoculated controls. Tissue analyses of both species showed that inoculation increased the percentage of Cu, and lowered the percentage of Mn compared to control plants. Schizachyrium showed no significant differences in growth due to inoculum source (1-, 2-, 8-, or 16-species plots); while Lespedeza showed increases in root and shoot weights with increasing source-plot diversity.


ISRN Agronomy ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ligia Lebrón ◽  
D. Jean Lodge ◽  
Paul Bayman

Mycorrhizal symbiosis is important for growth of coffee (Coffea arabica), but differences among coffee cultivars in response to mycorrhizal interactions have not been studied. We compared arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) extraradical hyphae in the soil and diversity of AM fungi among three coffee cultivars, Caturra, Pacas, and Borbón, at three farms in Puerto Rico. Caturra had significantly lower total extraradical AM hyphal length than Pacas and Borbón at all locations. P content did not differ among cultivars. Extraradical hyphal lengths differed significantly among locations. Although the same morphotypes of mycorrhizal fungal spores were present in the rhizosphere of the three cultivars and total spore density did not differ significantly, frequencies of spore morphotypes differed significantly among cultivars. Spore morphotypes were typical of Glomus and Sclerocystis. Levels of soil nutrients did not explain differences in AM colonzation among cultivars. The cultivar Caturra is a mutant of Borbón and has apparently lost Borbón’s capacity to support and benefit from an extensive network of AM hyphae in the soil. Widespread planting of Caturra, which matures earlier and has higher yield if fertilized, may increase dependence on fertilizers.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Noah C. Luecke ◽  
Austin J. Mejia ◽  
Kerri M. Crawford

AbstractCoastal dune restorations often fail because of poorly performing plants. The addition of beneficial microbes can improve plant performance, though it is unclear if the source of microbes matters. Here, we tested how native soil amendments and commercially available arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi influenced performance of Panicum amarum, a dominant grass on Texas coastal dunes. In a greenhouse experiment, we manipulated the identity of native soil amendments (from P. amarum, Uniola paniculata, or unvegetated areas), the presence of soil microbes in the native soil amendments (live or sterile), and the presence of the commercial AM fungi (present or absent). Native soils from vegetated areas contained 149% more AM fungal spores than unvegetated areas. The commercial AM fungi, when combined with previously vegetated native soils, increased aboveground biomass of P. amarum by 26%. Effects on belowground biomass were weaker, although the addition of any microbes decreased the root:shoot ratio. The origin of native soil amendments can influence restoration outcomes. In this case soil from areas with vegetation outperformed soil from areas without vegetation. Combining native soils with commercial AM fungi may provide a strategy for increasing plant performance while also maintaining other ecosystem functions provided by native microbes.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 5297
Author(s):  
Stavros D. Veresoglou ◽  
Leonie Grünfeld ◽  
Magkdi Mola

The roots of most plants host diverse assemblages of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), which benefit the plant hosts in diverse ways. Even though we understand that such AMF assemblages are non-random, we do not fully appreciate whether and how environmental settings can make them more or less predictable in time and space. Here we present results from three controlled experiments, where we manipulated two environmental parameters, habitat connectance and habitat quality, to address the degree to which plant roots in archipelagos of high connectivity and invariable habitats are colonized with (i) less diverse and (ii) easier to predict AMF assemblages. We observed no differences in diversity across our manipulations. We show, however, that mixing habitats and varying connectivity render AMF assemblages less predictable, which we could only detect within and not between our experimental units. We also demonstrate that none of our manipulations favoured any specific AMF taxa. We present here evidence that the community structure of AMF is less responsive to spatio-temporal manipulations than root colonization rates which is a facet of the symbiosis which we currently poorly understand.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Ngosong ◽  
Elke Gabriel ◽  
Liliane Ruess

Biomass estimation of arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) fungi, widespread plant root symbionts, commonly employs lipid biomarkers, predominantly the fatty acid 16:1ω5. We briefly reviewed the application of this signature fatty acid, followed by a case study comparing biochemical markers with microscopic techniques in an arable soil following a change to AM non-host plants after 27 years of continuous host crops, that is, two successive cropping seasons with wheat followed by amaranth. After switching to the non-host amaranth, spore biomass estimated by the neutral lipid fatty acid (NLFA) 16:1ω5 decreased to almost nil, whereas microscopic spore counts decreased by about 50% only. In contrast, AM hyphal biomass assessed by the phospholipid (PLFA) 16:1ω5 was greater under amaranth than wheat. The application of PLFA 16:1ω5 as biomarker was hampered by background level derived from bacteria, and further enhanced by its incorporation from degrading spores used as microbial resource. Meanwhile, biochemical and morphological assessments showed negative correlation for spores and none for hyphal biomass. In conclusion, the NLFA 16:1ω5 appears to be a feasible indicator for AM fungi of the Glomales group in the complex field soils, whereas the use of PLFA 16:1ω5 for hyphae is unsuitable and should be restricted to controlled laboratory studies.


2015 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 488-493
Author(s):  
Zhaoyong SHI ◽  
Xubin YIN ◽  
Bede MICKAN ◽  
Fayuan WANG ◽  
Ying ZHANG ◽  
...  

Arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) fungi are considered as an important factor in predicting plants and ecosystem responses to climate changes on a global scale. The Tibetan Plateau is the highest region on Earth with abundant natural resources and one of the most sensitive region to climate changes. To evaluate the complex response of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi colonization and spore density to climate changes, a reciprocal translocation experiment was employed in Tibetan Plateau. The reciprocal translocation of quadrats to AM colonization and spore density were dynamic. Mycorrhizal colonization frequency presented contrary changed trend with elevations of quadrat translocation. Colonization frequency reduced or increased in majority quadrats translocated from low to high or from high to low elevation. Responses of colonization intensity to translocation of quadrats were more sensitive than colonization frequency. Arbuscular colonization showed inconsistent trend in increased or decreased quadrat. Vesicle colonization decreased with changed of quadrat from low to high elevations. However, no significant trend was observed. Although spore density was dynamic with signs of decreasing or increasing in translocated quadrats, the majority enhanced and declined respectively in descent and ascent quadrat treatments. It is crucial to understand the interactions between AM fungi and prairie grasses to accurately predict effects of climate change on these diverse and sensitive ecosystems. This study provided an opportunity for understanding the effect of climate changes on AM fungi.


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