Molecular Diversity and Distribution of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi at Different Elevations in Mt. Taibai of Qinling Mountain

Abstract

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMFs) play a vital role in ecosystems, especially in ecosystem variability, diversity, and function. Understanding the AMF diversity, distribution, and their driver at different altitudinal gradients is a benefit for understanding the ecological function of AMF in mountain ecosystems. In this study, we explored the AMF molecular diversity and their distribution from 660 to 3,500 m a.s.l. in Mount Taibai of Qinling Mountains based on high-throughput sequencing technology. A total of 702 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) in 103 species of AMF are isolated from soil samples, which belong to 18 identified and 1 unidentified genus in 10 families. The fungi in the genus of Glomus is the most dominant, with the occurrence frequency of 100% and the relative abundance of 42.268% and 33.048% on the species and OTU level, respectively. The AMF colonization in root could be simulated by a cubic function with the change of altitudes with the peak and trough at a.s.l. 1,170 and 2,850 m, respectively. Further, AMF diversity indices including Sob, Shannon diversity, and Pielou evenness also showed the same cubic function change trends with increasing altitude at OTU and species levels. However, the average values of diversity indices at OTU level are always higher than these at the species level. Based on the OTU level, the highest and lowest values of Shannon and Pielou indices are observed at the altitudes of 1,400 and 2,800 m, respectively. The pattern of AMF community distribution in Mt. Taibai is driven by altitude with the characteristics of more abundance in the medium- to low-altitude than high-altitude areas. In general, abundant AMF molecular diversity and species exit in different elevations of Mt. Taibai, which indicate gradient changes with elevations.

Responses of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Diversity and Community to 41-Year Rotation Fertilization in Brown Soil Region of Northeast China

“…This might be that long-term fertilization only increased sporulation of a few AMF; thus, soil diversity decreased rather than increased. In this study, the Shannon index of AMF in soil was significantly lower in manure treatments than in non-manure fertilizer treatments (Table 3), which was due to the decrease or disappearance of some AMF species and the enhancement of some AMF species (Zhang et al, 2021). This result suggested that the higher the soil nutrient content, the less suitable for the growth of some AMF species such as Scutellospora, and RDA also confirmed this hypothesis (Figure 6).…”

Nitrogen Addition Does Not Change AMF Colonization but Alters AMF Composition in a Chinese Fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) Plantation

“…Above all, our results showed that AMF, participating in and manage the soil nutrient cycle, could be sensitive to small changes in edatopes. Therefore, studying mycorrhizal symbionts increases the knowledge of climatic variation [61][62][63].…”

“…Meanwhile, a large group of rhizophilic guilds function to reduce root pathogen infection and primarily benefit plants with fine roots prone to pathogen infections. Many essential factors can influence the life cycle of AMF, such as the species of host plants [16], light availability [64], temperature [65], rainfall [66], elevation [61], soil properties [67][68][69], and the plant community [70]. However, there is no major factor affecting AMF.…”

“…; writing-original draft preparation, F.W. ; writing-review and Many essential factors can influence the life cycle of AMF, such as the species of host plants [16], light availability [64], temperature [65], rainfall [66], elevation [61], soil properties [67][68][69], and the plant community [70]. However, there is no major factor affecting AMF.…”

The Potential Applications of Commercial Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal Inoculants and Their Ecological Consequences

“…Moreover, the abundance and richness of indigenous AMF communities often correlates with soil physical properties such as soil organic matter (SOM), nitrogen, and precipitation [ 89 , 111 , 112 , 113 , 114 ], that can serve as clues for soil mycorrhizal potential. Such parameters can be modelled to predict inoculation success and post-inoculation effects on local microbiota.…”