Anthropogenic disturbance equalizes diversity levels in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities |
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Authors: | David García de León John Davison Mari Moora Maarja Öpik Huyuan Feng Inga Hiiesalu Teele Jairus Kadri Koorem Yongjun Liu Cherdchai Phosri Siim‐Kaarel Sepp Martti Vasar Martin Zobel |
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Affiliation: | 1. Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia;2. Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China;3. Nakhon Phanom University, Nakhon Phanom, Thailand |
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Abstract: | The arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis is a key plant–microbe interaction in sustainable functioning ecosystems. Increasing anthropogenic disturbance poses a threat to AM fungal communities worldwide, but there is little empirical evidence about its potential negative consequences. In this global study, we sequenced AM fungal DNA in soil samples collected from pairs of natural (undisturbed) and anthropogenic (disturbed) plots in two ecosystem types (10 naturally wooded and six naturally unwooded ecosystems). We found that ecosystem type had stronger directional effects than anthropogenic disturbance on AM fungal alpha and beta diversity. However, disturbance increased alpha and beta diversity at sites where natural diversity was low and decreased diversity at sites where natural diversity was high. Cultured AM fungal taxa were more prevalent in anthropogenic than natural plots, probably due to their efficient colonization strategies and ability to recover from disturbance. We conclude that anthropogenic disturbance does not have a consistent directional effect on AM fungal diversity; rather, disturbance equalizes levels of diversity at large scales and causes changes in community functional structure. |
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Keywords: | 454‐pyrosequencing biogeography functional traits fungal diversity indicator taxa mycorrhizal traits |
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