Diversity and persistence of arbuscular mycorrhizas in a low-Arctic meadow habitat

Little is known about the ecology and diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi in Arctic ecosystems. Here, the diversity and composition of the AM fungal community and its response to host plant community composition were studied in a low-Arctic meadow habitat. The natural vegetation in two lo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The New phytologist 2007-01, Vol.176 (3), p.691-698
Main Authors: Pietikäinen, Anne, Kytöviita, Minna-Maarit, Husband, Rebecca, Young, J.Peter W
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
arbuscular mycorrhiza
Arctic Regions
Cold Climate
Conservation of Natural Resources
continuous cropping
disturbance
diversity
Ecosystem
Enzymes
Fungi
Host plants
low-Arctic
meadow
monoculture
Mycorrhizae - physiology
Plant communities
Plant roots
Plants
Seedlings
Seedlings - growth & development
Seedlings - microbiology
Solidago
Solidago - growth & development
Solidago - microbiology
Solidago virgaurea
Species diversity
Symbiosis - physiology
Taxa
terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism
Vegetation
vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizae
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Summary:Little is known about the ecology and diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi in Arctic ecosystems. Here, the diversity and composition of the AM fungal community and its response to host plant community composition were studied in a low-Arctic meadow habitat. The natural vegetation in two low-Arctic meadow sites was manipulated. Plots with natural vegetation, monoculture and no vegetation were established. Seeds of Solidago virgaurea were sown into the plots and the AM fungal community in the seedling roots was analysed using the terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) method. The vegetation manipulation treatments affected the community composition but not the diversity of AM fungi found in S. virgaurea roots. The diversity of AM fungi was higher in S. virgaurea roots in the site with naturally higher plant species diversity. These results show that AM fungi in low-Arctic meadows are able to survive for a period of 2 yr without a host plant. This ability buffers the AM fungal community against short-term changes in host plant community composition and diversity.
ISSN:0028-646X
1469-8137
DOI:10.1111/j.1469-8137.2007.02209.x