Arbuscular mycorrhizal communities in tropical forests are affected by host tree species and environment

Lovelock, C. E., Andersen, K. and Morton, J. B. (2003) Arbuscular mycorrhizal communities in tropical forests are affected by host tree species and environment. Oecologia, 135 2: 268-279.


Author Lovelock, C. E.
Andersen, K.
Morton, J. B.
Title Arbuscular mycorrhizal communities in tropical forests are affected by host tree species and environment
Journal name Oecologia  (ERA 2012 Listed)    (ERA 2010 Rank A)   Check publisher's open access policy
Publication date 2003
Sub-type Article
DOI 10.1007/s00442-002-1166-3
Volume number 135
Issue number 2
ISSN 0029-8549
Start page 268
End page 279
Total pages 12
Place of publication New York
Publisher Springer-verlag
Language eng
Abstract Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are mutualists with plant roots that are proposed to enhance plant community diversity. Models indicate that AM fungal communities could maintain plant diversity in forests if functionally different communities are spatially separated. In this study we assess the spatial and temporal distribution of the AM fungal community in a wet tropical rainforest in Costa Rica. We test whether distinct fungal communities correlate with variation in tree life history characteristics, with host tree species, and the relative importance of soil type, seasonality and rainfall. Host tree species differ in their associated AM fungal communities, but differences in the AM community between hosts could not be generalized over life history groupings of hosts. Changes in the relative abundance of a few common AM fungal species were the cause of differences in AM fungal communities for different host tree species instead of differences in the presence and absence of AM fungal species. Thus, AM fungal communities are spatially distinguishable in the forest, even though all species are widespread. Soil fertility ranging between 5 and 9 Mg/ha phosphorus did not affect composition of AM fungal communities, although sporulation was more abundant in lower fertility soils. Sampling soils over seasons revealed that some AM fungal species sporulate profusely in the dry season compared to the rainy season. On one host tree species sampled at two sites with vastly different rainfall, relative abundance of spores from Acaulospora was lower and that of Glomus was relatively higher at the site with lower and more seasonal rainfall.
Keyword Ecology
Glomales
Acaulospora morrowiae
Acaulospora mellea
Acaulospora foveata
Hyacinthoides Non-scripta
Rain-forest
Endomycorrhizal Fungi
Root Colonization
Spatial Patterns
Plant Diversity
Acer-saccharum
Soil Pathogens
Dynamics
Inoculum
Q-Index Code C1
Q-Index Status Provisional Code
Institutional Status Unknown

 
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Created: Wed, 19 Sep 2007, 16:40:02 EST