Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and ectomycorrhizas in the andean cloud forest of South Ecuador

Abstract:

Except for three members of Nyctaginaceae in the lower montane forest (2000 masl) all investigated trees were arbuscular mycorrhizal. There are many rare AM fungi and only a few more common AM fungi. Each tree individual has an individual composition of AM fungal partners, which usually consist of one (two) common fungi and 3-8 rarely occurring fungi. At 1000 masl and 2000 masl sites, members of the Glomeraceae dominate, at 3000 masl and 4000 masl, the frequency and OTU numbers of the Glomeraceae are significantly reduced and the members of the Acaulosporaceae increase. The frequent AM fungi of 1000 masl and 2000 masl are mainly restricted to their height level. In contrast, the common AM fungi of the 3000 masl and 4000 masl sites can also be found at the other altitudes, which means in the climatically difficult locations, the common species are not specialists, but generalists. From 1000 masl to 4000 masl, there is a high turnover in terms of both the AM fungi and the plant species. Only three species of fungi occur at all altitudes. A larger overlap of common species shows the 1000's and 2000's levels as well as the 3000's and 4000's levels.

Año de publicación:

2020

Keywords:

Fuente:

scopus