The effect of a water gradient on the vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal status of Lythrum salicaria L. (purple loosestrife)

 The mycorrhizal status of Lythrum salicaria (Lythraceae) was assessed under growth room and field conditions. Growth room studies indicated that L. salicaria is facultatively mycorrhizal and capable of forming vesicular-arbuscular associations with six Glomus species, but not with Gigaspora margarita. Overall, hyphal and arbuscular colonization levels were significantly higher in the wet treatments than in the dry treatments (P<0.0001). However, taken individually, significant increases in arbuscular colonization (P<0.05) were found only in L. salicaria colonized with Glomus clarum, G. aggregatum, and G. versiforme and exposed to the wet treatments compared with the dry treatments, while significant increases in hyphal colonization were found in L. salicaria colonized with G. clarum, and G. versiforme exposed to the wet treatments. There was no overall effect of water availability on levels of vesicular colonization or differences in vesicular colonization levels within species under dry or wet conditions. In contrast, field studies along an existing water gradient revealed that hyphal and arbuscular colonization levels were significantly higher (P<0.05) in the dry and intermediate regions of the gradient than in the wet regions. Vesicular colonization was not significantly affected by the gradient. Total stem height was significantly affected by water availability, plot location and an interaction of the two (P<0.05), and was generally higher in the intermediate and wet plots. Accepted: 20 September 1995