毛乌素沙地樟子松外生菌根真菌多样性特征

【背景】外生菌根真菌(ectomycorrhizal fungi,ECMF)侵入林木根系形成外生菌根,是樟子松(Pinus sylvestris var. mongholica)适应环境变化和环境胁迫的重要途径。【目的】深入理解沙地樟子松人工林外生菌根真菌群落组成和多样性。【方法】以毛乌素沙地3个林龄(27、33和44 a)沙地樟子松人工林为研究对象,采用rDNA ITS区段PCR扩增测序方法鉴定分析沙地樟子松外生菌根真菌群落组成并计算多样性指数。【结果】毛乌素沙地樟子松共获得56个外生菌根真菌OTU,隶属于2门3纲8目15科21属,优势属为棉革菌属(Tomentella)、地孔菌属(Geopora)和阿太菌属(Amphinema)。27 a人工林外生菌根真菌丰富度指数最高,33 a人工林ECMF的α多样性指数最高,但不同林龄之间不存在显著差异(P>0.05)。不同林龄沙地樟子松ECMF群落组成存在差异,地孔菌属、棉革菌属、Delastria和Mallocybe的动态变化是造成群落组成差异的主要原因。【结论】毛乌素沙地樟子松人工林外生菌根真菌群落组成较为丰富,该研究区的群落组成可能比多样性更能体现外生菌根真菌群落随林龄的动态变化,伴随着林木的生长成熟,部分功能性外生菌根真菌的动态变化可能与沙地樟子松人工林退化存在密切联系,有待进一步研究。     

桉树种植对林地土壤丛枝菌根真菌群落结构及多样性的影响

桉树(Eucalyptus spp.)种植所产生的生态争议已受到广泛关注。丛枝菌根真菌(Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi, AM真菌)是土壤微生物的重要组成部分,与根系共生后可促进植物的养分运输、提高植物逆境生存能力等。然而,桉树种植对土壤AM真菌群落结构和功能的影响尚不清楚。研究比较了次生林改种桉树后不同年限(2年/5年/10年)的土壤理化性质、AM真菌种类、群落组成及多样性的变化。结果表明,桉树种植显著改变了土壤理化性质,具体表现为2年生和10年生桉树林中土壤pH和有机碳显著降低(P0.05);AM真菌的孢子密度在桉树林土壤中显著低于次生林土壤(其中在5年生土壤中最低);AM真菌的种丰度随种植年份的增加逐渐下降,在10年生桉树林土壤中有所恢复; 5年生桉树的菌根侵染率最高,10年生桉树侵染率最低。AM真菌群落组成和结构发生显著变化,优势种Funneliforms geosporus的丰度在2年生和10年生林地中显著降低;而Septoglomus deserticola的丰度在2年生和10年生林地中显著增加。另外,冗余分析(Redundancy analysis, RDA)结果表明,土壤AM真菌群落结构主要受土壤pH值(解释率:89.88%)变化的影响。研究揭示了次生林改种桉树林后土壤AM真菌的群落变化特征,为桉树林的栽培管理和环境修复提供了数据支撑。     

中国江西龙虎山崖顶植物根中深色有隔内生菌多样性

为探明丹霞地貌区崖顶植物深色有隔内生真菌（dark septate endophyte,DSE）多样性、群落组成以及生态分布规律。本文以江西龙虎山崖顶常见植物刺柏、马尾松、青冈栎、檵木、乌饭树、鸭跖草、苦槠、辣木树和香附子9种植物的根为研究对象,采用经典的组织分离方法分离DSE真菌,结合形态学特征和分子生物学数据研究丹霞地貌区崖顶常见植物DSE真菌多样性。结果表明：从9种植物根部990个组织块中,共分离纯化出404株菌株,经鉴定隶属于45个分类单元。其中,青霉属Penicillium、拟内孢霉属Endomycopsis、曲霉属Aspergillus、头囊霉属Ascocybe为优势属群,属种组成在不同植物中存在差异,且内生真菌属的数目与植物优势度极显著正相关（P<0.01）。9种植物深色有隔内生真菌（DSE）总分离率在0.51%-13.33%之间;各植物DSE Shannon指数在0.0743-1.0400之间,与植物优势度极显著正相关（P<0.01）,差异明显;Simpson指数较高（均值>0.7）且Pielou指数较低（均值<0.4）表明DSE真菌在不同植物分布不均匀;相似性指数普遍不高,在0.071-0.467之间。本研究初步揭示了丹霞地貌区崖顶深色有隔内生真菌的分布及多样性情况,为进一步探讨内生真菌在丹霞地貌等特殊生境的生态功能提供参考。     

西藏高原不同海拔区域丛枝菌根真菌群落的变化

为了进一步了解丛枝菌根(AM)真菌群落对不同海拔环境的响应,基于孢子形态学鉴定,研究了西藏高原不同海拔区域主要草本植物AM真菌的群落特征、菌根侵染及其变化.结果表明: 藏东南低海拔区(2200~3400 m)、藏中中海拔区(3400~3900 m)和藏北高海拔区(4300~5300 m)的AM真菌分别为11属31种、11属20种和6属14种.随着海拔上升,孢子密度(r=0.978,P<0.01)、物种丰度(r=0.462,P>0.05)均趋提高,优势种、特有种比例大幅增加,Shannon指数(r=-0.945,P<0.01)极显著下降.不同海拔区之间AM真菌群落Sorensen相似性系数(0.526~0.592)较为接近,仅在总体上随海拔差异扩大略趋下降;藏东南低海拔区、藏北高海拔区菌根侵染率无显著差异,但均显著低于藏中中海拔区.各海拔区内,不同海拔梯度对AM真菌群落、根系侵染亦具显著影响,但影响程度、影响趋势因整体海拔环境不同而异.说明西藏高原AM真菌群落趋于生境选择,受控于海拔所主导的水热环境及土壤环境.     

百里杜鹃保护区马缨杜鹃土壤真菌群落特征

近年来,贵州百里杜鹃保护区戛木管理区发现有部分马缨杜鹃感染根腐病,造成其大量死亡,致病机制尚不明确。为了研究马缨杜鹃根腐病发病区土壤真菌群落结构组成,探讨真菌微生物种类组成变化与根腐病发病的关联,以感病马缨杜鹃根部土壤和未感病马缨杜鹃根部土壤的土壤为对象,利用高通量测序技术进行测序,发现2份感病杜鹃根部土壤中分别有846和911个操作分类单元(operating taxonomic unit, OTUs),而未感病杜鹃根部土壤仅有439个OTUs。通过分析土壤真菌物种丰度和分类、α-多样性、β-多样性、主成分(principal component analysis, PCA)分析和聚类分析。结果表明:感病马缨杜鹃和未感病马缨杜鹃根部土壤真菌多样性和群落结构存在较大差异,未感病杜鹃根部土壤的真菌微生物种类明显少于感病杜鹃根部土壤。     

内蒙古不同气候带白桦外生菌根真菌群落结构及影响因素

白桦是天然次生林生态系统演替过程中的先锋树种,是典型的外生菌根树种。基于Illumina Miseq高通量测序技术及生物信息学方法,分析了白桦外生菌根真菌多样性和群落结构及其驱动因素。结果表明,白桦根围土壤中共获得261个外生菌根真菌OTUs,隶属于2门、4纲、11目、29科、50属。在门水平上,担子菌门(Basidiomycota)真菌相对丰度占93.5%;其余为子囊菌门(Ascomycota)真菌,相对丰度占6.5%。在属水平上,相对丰度≥1%的优势属共有16个,其中红菇属(Russula,32.1%)、蜡壳耳属(Sebacina,19.9%)和丝膜菌属(Cortinarius,11.8%)的相对丰度最高,分布广泛,在所有样点均有出现。采用RDA和SPSS分析了外生菌根真菌群落组成差异的驱动因素,pH值、总氮、土壤含水量和速效钾对外生菌根真菌的分布均有极显著影响,其中,pH值对外生菌根真菌多样性及群落结构变化的解释度最高,为34.3%,其次为总氮、土壤含水量和速效钾,解释度分别为25.1%、16.8%和5.4%。研究结果阐明了跨气候带白桦外生菌根真菌的群落结构和影响因素,可为深入理...     

丛枝菌根真菌与深色有隔内生真菌对姜瘟病的防效及抗病机理初探

【背景】青枯劳尔氏菌(Ralstonia solanacearum,R.S)引发的姜瘟病是生姜产业发展的瓶颈问题。丛枝菌根真菌(arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi, AMF)与深色有隔内生真菌(dark septate endophytes,DSE)是两类重要的共生微生物。【目的】前期研究发现,AMF与DSE可提高生姜对姜瘟病的抗性,但其抗病机制尚不清楚,极大地限制了利用这两类共生真菌对该病的防治。【方法】在温室条件下做盆栽试验,以生姜组培苗为材料,设立接种AMF、DSE和不接种AMF、DSE的对照(CK)处理,并在上述处理下的植物生长4周后淋入病原菌液,病原菌接种1周后,通过测定菌根侵染率、发病率、叶绿素含量、光合指标、磷(P)含量、防御性酶活性及丙二醛(malondialdehyde, MDA)含量,研究AMF和DSE互作对病原菌侵染后生姜生长和生理生化指标的影响。【结果】AMF和DSE分别使姜瘟病发病率降低了45.27%和52.04%(P<0.05)。AMF+DSE组合处理抑病效果更好,发病率较对照降低60.87%(P<0.05)。AMF、DSE及...     

海南濒危树种保育圃白木香与降香黄檀幼苗根部真菌谱系与生态型多样性比较

【背景】根部真菌是影响植物幼苗存活、定植和生长的重要因子之一,但是苗圃培育的幼苗根部真菌物种组成与生态学特性尚不清楚。【目的】研究苗圃培育的白木香(Aquilaria sinensis)与降香黄檀(Dalbergia odorifera)幼苗根部真菌群落谱系与生态型多样性,以及宿主植物对根部真菌群落结构的影响。【方法】采集幼苗根尖样品提取基因组DNA,用真菌通用引物与丛枝菌根真菌(AMF)特异性引物扩增真菌r DNA-ITS区,经克隆、测序、序列分析鉴定真菌。通过基于核酸与Metadata数据关联分析的FUNGuild软件,划分根部真菌的营养型和共位群。采用非公制多维尺度分析法(NMDS)研究幼苗根部真菌群落物种组成差异与宿主植物物种及形态指标的关系。【结果】白木香与降香黄檀幼苗根部真菌物种丰富,达51个OTU;谱系多样性较高,涉及毛霉菌门(Mucoromycota,51%)、子囊菌门(Ascomycota,43%)以及担子菌门(Basidiomycota,6%)。这些根部真菌涉及不同的营养型与共位群,包括共生型真菌29种,频度较高的如Glomeromycetes sp.2、Rhizophagus irregularis等,二者均属于AMF共位群;腐生营养型真菌5种,如Talaromyces pinophilus、Rhizopycnis vagum等;病原型真菌2种,是Mycoleptodiscus sp.和Fusarium phaseoli;还有15种其生态类型不确定。NMDS分析结果表明,宿主植物物种、株高、地径、叶面积对根部真菌群落物种组成的影响不显著。然而,株高对AMF群落的物种组成有较弱的影响。【结论】本苗圃条件下,土壤中本土性根部真菌繁殖体较为充足,白木香与降香黄檀幼苗根部真菌群落谱系多样性较高,多种营养型与共位群的根部真菌共存;此外,采用真菌通用引物对ITS1F/ITS4研究根部真菌群落物种多样性时,AMF多样性可能会被极度低估。     

菌根真菌提高杨树抗溃疡病生理生化机制的研究

以107速生杨(Populus×euramericana cv.'74/76')幼苗为材料,考察了接种丛枝菌根真菌(AMF)和外生菌根真菌(ECMF)幼苗在受到溃疡病菌侵害后生理生化指标和抗病相关蛋白的变化,初步探讨菌根真菌诱导植物抗病性的可能机制.结果表明,两种菌根真菌都能够显著降低杨树幼苗溃疡病的感病指数和发病率,显著提高杨树叶片叶绿素、树皮可溶性蛋白含量和根系活力强度;两种菌根真菌都可以显著降低杨树感病部位的丙二醛含量和提高游离脯氨酸含量,增强杨树超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)和苯丙氨酸解氨酶(PAL)的活性;丛枝菌根真菌能显著诱导提高杨树感病部位几丁质酶和β-1,3-葡聚糖酶活性,而外生菌根真菌则不能诱导或效应较低,且丛枝菌根真菌诱导杨树提高抗病性的相关指标均优于外生菌根真菌,而苗木感病指数和发病率均低于外生菌根真菌,其在幼苗期接种提高杨树抗溃疡病的效果较好.可见,在杨树受到溃疡病菌侵染时,菌根真菌可促进杨树对营养物质的吸收和生长,提高菌根苗体内保护酶活性和抗性相关化合物的含量,促使产生大量几丁质酶和β-1,3-葡聚糖酶来诱导杨树产生二次防卫反应,从而补偿病害所带来的损伤,增强抗病性.     

不同生态条件下油松(Pinus tabulaeformis)菌根根际土壤微生物群落

利用BIOLOG代谢指纹方法分析了陕南商南和陕北安塞不同生态条件下油松菌根根际土壤微生物群落。结果表明,安塞油松和商南油松菌根根际微生物对糖类和氨基酸类碳源较易利用,商南油松菌根根际微生物总体上代谢碳源的种类和活性远大于安塞油松,而且对同类碳源的代谢商南油松的AWCD比安塞油松均高出2倍多。安塞油松菌根根际微生物以氨基酸类代谢群为优势类群,商南油松以糖类代谢群为优势类群。微生物群落多样性指数和微生物群落主成分分析（PCA）指标均表明商南油松和安塞油松菌根根际土壤微生物群落有明显不同,起分异作用的碳源主要为糖类,其次是羧酸类和氨基酸类。商南油松菌根根际土壤微生物群落AWCD极显著高于安塞油松（P〈0．01）,细菌数量显著高于安塞油松（P〈0．05）,Shannon指数和丰富度指数达极显著性差异（P〈0．01）,商南油松和安塞油松菌根侵染率差异不显著,但菌根生物量差异达极显著水平（P〈0．01）。相关性分析表明,菌根生物量与丰富度指数、AWCD呈极显著正相关,与Shannon指数呈显著正相关,但是与菌根侵染率相关性不显著。在商南温暖潮湿丘陵区油松菌根根际微生物活性、群落大小和多样性高于安塞油松,在安塞黄土高原干旱区微生物群落稳定性强于商南油松。     

The co-occurrence of ectomycorrhizal,arbuscular mycorrhizal,and dark septate fungi in seedlings of four members of the Pinaceae

Although roots of species in the Pinaceae are usually colonized by ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungi, there are increasing reports of the presence of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) and dark septate endophytic (DSE) fungi in these species. The objective of this study was to determine the colonization patterns in seedlings of three Pinus (pine) species (Pinus banksiana, Pinus strobus, Pinus contorta) and Picea glauca x Picea engelmannii (hybrid spruce) grown in soil collected from a disturbed forest site. Seedlings of all three pine species and hybrid spruce became colonized by EM, AM, and DSE fungi. The dominant EM morphotype belonged to the E-strain category; limited colonization by a Tuber sp. was found on roots of Pinus strobus and an unknown morphotype (cf. Suillus–Rhizopogon group) with thick, cottony white mycelium was present on short roots of all species. The three fungal categories tended to occupy different niches in a single root system. No correlation was found between the percent root colonized by EM and percent colonization by either AM or DSE, although there was a positive correlation between percent root length colonized by AM and DSE. Hyphae and vesicles were the only AM intracellular structures found in roots of all species; arbuscules were not observed in any roots.     

The effect of mercury on the establishment of Pinus rigida seedlings and the development of their ectomycorrhizal communities

Metals are toxic to both plants and fungi, and elevated soil metal concentrations have been documented to change the structure of ectomycorrhizal communities. Mercury (Hg) is a highly toxic metal and inhibits the growth of ectomycorrhizal fungi (ECMF) in axenic culture. However, the effects of Hg on the growth of tree seedlings and the development of their ECMF communities have not been explored. In the current study, Pinus rigida seedlings were planted in soil amended with 0–366 μg g^?1 Hg and incubated for 5 months. Survival and growth of P. rigida seedlings was determined, and their ECMF communities were characterized by morphotype analysis. Seedling survival declined with increasing Hg additions, although no reduction in growth was detected among surviving seedlings. The addition of 88 μg g^?1 Hg to soil more than halved the total ectomycorrhizal colonization of root tips and reduced both richness and diversity of root tip morphotypes, while lower Hg additions did not significantly affect ECMF community composition relative to the no Hg control. This suggests that changes in the community of ECMF may occur in contaminated soils before any aboveground effects on surviving seedlings are noticeable, potentially altering the contribution of ECMF to the fitness of established host plants.     

Ectomycorrhizae and ectomycorrhizal fungal fruit bodies in pine stands differentially damaged by pine wilt disease

We surveyed ectomycorrhizae, ectomycorrhizal fungal fruit bodies, and soil physical properties in one heavily damaged and two lightly damaged pine stands on Mt. Tsukuba, central Japan. The rate of ectomycorrhizal root tips was not different between heavily and lightly damaged pine stands. For ectomycorrhizae, Cenococcum geophilum had high relative abundance in the heavily damaged pine stand. The number of ectomycorrhizal fungal fruit bodies in the heavily damaged pine stand was much lower than that in the lightly damaged pine stands.     

Fungal colonization of shrub willow roots at the forefront of a receding glacier

Shrub willows (Salix spp.) form associations with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM), ectomycorrhizal (EM) and dark septate endophytic (DSE) fungi. Willow root colonization by these three types of fungi was studied on a deglaciated forefront of Lyman Glacier, Washington, USA. Root colonization was low; less than 1% of the root length was colonized by AM and 25.6% by DSE. EM colonized 25% of the root tips and 19.4% of the root length. AM and DSE colonization were not related to distance from the present glacier terminus or to canopy cover. EM colonization increased with distance from the glacier terminus based on gridline intercept data but not on root tip frequency data. Availability of propagules in the substrate was low, but numbers of propagules increased with distance from the glacier terminus. The EM communities were dominated by three ascomycetes showing affinity to Sordariaceae in BLAST analyses. Other frequent taxa on the glacier forefront included species of Cortinariaceae, Pezizaceae, Russulaceae, Thelephoraceae and Tricholomataceae. When occurrence of individual taxa was used as a response variable to canopy cover, distance from the glacier terminus, and their interaction, four different fungal guilds were identified: 1) fungi that did not respond to these environmental variables; 2) fungi that occurred mainly in intercanopy areas and decreased with distance from the glacier terminus; 3) fungi that were insensitive to canopy cover but increased with distance from the glacier terminus; 4) fungi that occurred mainly under willow canopies and increased with distance from the glacier terminus. We suggest that fungal colonization is mainly limited by fungal propagule availability. Environmental conditions may also limit successful establishment of plant-fungus associations. We propose that the four EM guilds partly explain successional dynamics. The initial EM community comprises fungi that tolerate low organic matter and nitrogen environment (first and second guilds above). During later community development, these fungi are replaced by those that benefit from an increased organic matter and nitrogen environment (third and fourth guilds above).     

Habitat matters: The role of spore bank fungi in early seedling establishment of Florida slash pines

This study investigated broad patterns in communities of ectomycorrhizal fungi from three Florida habitats (sandhills, scrub, and pine rocklands) and the ability of spore bank fungi to associate with Pinus elliottii (slash pine) and Pinus densa (south Florida slash pine). Efforts to replant pines in the endangered pine rocklands are vital to the persistence of this habitat, yet little is known about the ectomycorrhizal fungi communities or how they may differ from those in other pine-dominated habitats in Florida. We used high-throughput amplicon sequencing (HTS) to assess baseline fungal communities and greenhouse bioassays to bait ectomycorrhizal fungi using seedlings. HTS soil data recovered 188 ectomycorrhizal species but only a few subsequently colonized the bioassay seedlings. We recovered 21 ectomycorrhizal species on pine seedlings including common spore bank fungi such as Cenococcum, Suillus, and Tuber, but Rhizopogon species were dominant across all sites and habitats. Habitat type and site were significant variables influencing the community composition of the total soil fungal community, soil ectomycorrhizal community, and the fungi found on seedling root tips. However, we found no significant differences between the ectomycorrhizal communities on seedling roots from the two Pinus species.     

Contrasting below-ground views of an ectomycorrhizal fungal community

Ectomycorrhizal fungal communities have been characterized in a number of ways. Here we compare colonized root-tip and mycelia views of an ectomycorrhizal fungal community. Ectomycorrhizal fungi, both as mycelia and colonized root tips, were identified in soil samples taken from a pine plantation. We determined that for some ectomycorrhizal fungal species multiple root tips from a single soil sample were not independent. Therefore in the comparison of root-tip and mycelia views, we considered species to be present or absent from each soil sample irrespective of the number of root tips colonized by the species. We observed 39 ectomycorrhizal fungal species in total, but 12 were observed exclusively as mycelia and 11 exclusively colonizing root tips. The relative frequencies of 10 species occurring as both mycelia and root tips were not independent of the method of observation. Our results suggest that ectomycorrhizal fungal species differ in their spatial distributions on root tips, and that root-tip and mycelia views of the community are different.     

Relationship between soil properties and incidence of pine wilt disease at stand level

This study was conducted to evaluate and compare soil properties between pine stands either damaged or undamaged by pine wilt disease in Jinju and Sacheon Cities, which are areas in Korea severely affected by the disease. Soil physical and chemical properties were generally similar between damaged and undamaged pine stands. There was no significant difference in soil factors related to soil nutrient fertility between damaged and undamaged pine stands, although the incidence of pine wilt disease was affected by soil clay content, which was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in the damaged (24.8%) than in the undamaged (20.1%) pine stands. However, this relationship should be treated with caution because small scale topographical variation may simply reflect the incidence of pine wilt disease. The results suggest that incidence of pine wilt disease was not influenced by soil nutrient properties at a small stand scale.     

连续三年夜间增温和施氮对云杉外生菌根及菌根真菌多样性的影响

以西南亚高山针叶林建群种粗枝云杉(Picea asperata)为研究对象,采用红外加热模拟增温结合外施氮肥(NH₄NO₃ 25 g N m^-2 a^-1)的方法,研究连续3a夜间增温和施肥对云杉幼苗外生菌根侵染率、土壤外生菌根真菌生物量及其群落多样性的影响。结果表明:夜间增温对云杉外生菌根侵染率的影响具有季节性及根级差异。夜间增温对春季(2011年5月)云杉1级根,夏季(2011年7月)和秋季(2010年10月)云杉2级根侵染率影响显著。除2011年7月1级根外,施氮对云杉1、2级根侵染率无显著影响。夜间增温对土壤中外生菌根真菌的生物量和群落多样性无显著影响,施氮及增温与施氮联合处理使土壤中外生菌根真菌生物量显著降低,但却提高了外生菌根真菌群落的多样性。这说明云杉幼苗外生菌根侵染率对温度较敏感,土壤外生菌根真菌生物量及其群落多样性对施氮较敏感。这为进一步研究该区域亚高山针叶林地下过程对全球气候变化的响应机制提供了科学依据。     

EcM fungal community structure, but not diversity, altered in a Pb-contaminated shooting range in a boreal coniferous forest site in Southern Finland

Boreal forests contain diverse fungal communities that form essential ectomycorrhizal symbioses with trees. To determine the effects of lead (Pb) contamination on ectomycorrhizal fungal communities associated with the dominant pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), we surveyed sporocarps for 3 years, analyzed morphotyped ectomycorrhizal root tips by direct sequencing, and 454-sequenced fungal communities that grew into in-growth bags during a 2-year incubation at a shooting range where sectors vary in the Pb load. We recorded a total of 32 ectomycorrhizal fungi that formed conspicuous sporocarps, 27 ectomycorrhizal fungal phylotypes from 294 root tips, and 116 ectomycorrhizal fungal operation taxonomic unit (OTUs) from a total of 8194 internal transcribed spacer-2 454 sequences. Our ordination analyses by nonparametric multidimensional scaling (NMS) indicated that the Pb enrichment induced a shift in the ectomycorrhizal community composition. This was visible as indicative trends in the sporocarp and root tip data sets, but was explicitly clear in the communities observed in the in-growth bags. The compositional shift in the ectomycorrhizal community was mainly attributable to an increase in the frequencies of OTUs assigned to genus Thelephora and to a decrease in the OTUs assigned to Pseudotomentella, Suillus, and Tylospora in Pb-contaminated areas when compared with the control. While the compositional shifts are clear, their functional consequences for the dominant trees or soil ecosystem function remain undetermined.     

Fungal root symbionts and their relationship with fine root proportion in native plants from the Bolivian Andean highlands above 3,700?m elevation

Here, we examined the colonization by fungal root symbionts in the cultivated Andean grain Chenopodium quinoa and in 12 species that dominate plant communities in the Bolivian Altiplano above 3,700 m elevation and explore for the possible relationships between fungal colonization and fine root proportion. The 12 most abundant species in the study area were consistently colonized by AMF and DSE. In contrast, the annual Andean grain C. quinoa showed negligible or absence of mycorrhizal fungi colonizing roots. On the other hand, C. quinoa, Junelia seriphioides and Chersodoma jodopappa were infected to a varying degree by the root pathogen Olpidium sp. We observed no relationship between AMF and DSE colonization and proportion of fine roots in the root system, but instead, the ratio between DSE and AMF colonization (ratio DSE/AMF) negatively related with proportion of fine roots. Our findings support the hypothesis regarding the importance of DSE at high altitudes and suggest a functional relationship between the rate of DSE/AMF and proportion of fine roots. The colonization by the root pathogen Olpidium sp. in C. quinoa deserves further study since this Andean grain is increasingly important for the local economy in these marginal areas.