Gender Effects of Dioecious Plant Populus cathayana on Fungal Community and Mycorrhizal Distribution at Different Arid Zones in Qinghai, China

Abstract

Dioecious plants have a wide distribution in nature and gender effect may cause significant alterations in rhizosphere fungal community and soil properties. However, little is known regarding changes in response to dioecious plants. This study aimed to investigate the effects that the dioecious plant, Populus cathayana, and regions of different arid levels have on the fungal community, mycorrhizal distribution, soil enzymatic activities, and nutrient contents. This study characterized fungal and soil factors from the rhizosphere of the dioecious plant Populus cathayana located in the semi-humid regions (Chengguan), semi-arid regions (Sining, Haiyan) and arid regions (Ulan, Chaka). Rhizosphere soil was collected from each site and gender, and the total fungal genomic DNA was extracted. DNA amplicons from fungal ITS region were generated and subjected to Illumina Miseq sequencing. A total of 5 phyla, 28 classes, 92 orders, 170 families, and 380 genuses were observed. AMF distribution peaked at Chaka, which did not conform to the trend. Gender had significant effects on fungal communities: there were obvious differences in fungal OTUs between genders. Alpha diversity raised at first and then decreased. RDA results showed available P, available K, pH, ALP activity, ammonium N, EC, water content and catalase activity were the key contributors in sample areas. Our results suggested potential interaction effects between plant gender and fungal community.

The effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on biological activity and biochemical properties of soil under vetch growing conditions in calcareous soils

“…Plant species are the major factor in determining microbial diversity and community in the rhizosphere, resulting in different microorganism compositions for various species growing in the same soil [ 63 ]. In some cases, however, host variety may have more influence on microbial composition than soil and plant species [ 64 ].…”

Seedling performance in a dioecious tree species is similar near female and male conspecific adults despite differences in colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

“…Dioecy is characterized by separation of seed production between sexes, where female plants produce seeds while male plants do not. Microbiome composition and interactions with microbes are known to differ between the sexes in some dioecious plant species (Vega‐Frutis and Guevara 2009, Vega‐Frutis et al 2013, Wei and Ashman 2018, Wu et al 2019, Guo et al 2021, Guo et al 2022, Li et al 2023). Because many seeds fall beneath or close to their parent tree (Swamy et al 2011) and seed production can vary widely among individuals even within hermaphroditic species (Hubbell 1980), stark differences in seed and seedling input over time could result in greater pathogen accumulation in the soil surrounding female plants relative to male plants of similar size or age.…”