Quality of rooting environments and patterns of root colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in strangler figs in a Mexican palmetto woodland |
| |
Authors: | Roger Guevara Juan C López |
| |
Institution: | (1) Departamento de Biología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología, A.C. Km 2.5 Antigua Carretera a Coatepec, AP 63, Xalapa, Veracruz, 91000, México |
| |
Abstract: | Arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization in strangler figs, spore richness, and abundance of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi were
quantified in epiphytic and ground-rooted trees in a Sabal palmetto woodland that had marked heterogeneity in rooting environments for hemiepiphytic plants. An inoculation experiment
was performed to assess whether low spore density could limit mycorrhizal colonization. There was no significant difference
in mycorrhizal colonization among Ficus species, but epiphytic plants in nutrient-rich rooting environments had less mycorrhizal colonization than ground-rooted
plants in low-nutrient soils. However, richness and abundance of spores was low, and to some extent, this limited the mycorrhizal
colonization of strangler figs. Nevertheless, our results suggest intraindividual adjusting levels of root colonization in
strangler figs in accordance with mineral availability. Such responses could maximize the cost–benefit balance of arbuscular
mycorrhizal interactions throughout the development of strangler figs from epiphytic young plants to ground-rooted trees. |
| |
Keywords: | Ficus Hemiepiphytic plants Heterogeneous-rooting environment Plasticity Sabal mexicana |
本文献已被 PubMed SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|