Mycorrhizal associations in Polylepis woodlands of Central Argentina

Abstract

Polylepis woodlands are one of the most threatened mountain ecosystems of South America, and their restoration is a high priority. To assess the mycorrhizal status in Polylepis woodlands of “Quebrada del Condorito” National Park (Córdoba Mountains, Central Argentina), we examined the roots of 22 plant species, belonging to 14 families and determined morphological types of arbuscular mycorrhiza (Arum and Paris type) and colonization level. The 22 species were colonized by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and dark septate endophytes. Different arbuscular mycorrhizal structures and colonization patterns were observed, although Paris-type colonization was predominant. Fourteen plant species are reported for the first time as hosts of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. We conclude that arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and dark septate endophyte hosts are widespread in the Polylepis woodlands of Central Argentina and should receive special attention in future revegetation programs.

Ericoid mycorrhizal fungi are common root inhabitants of non-Ericaceae plants in a south-eastern Australian sclerophyll forest

“…These structures are consistent with descriptions of dark septate endophyte (DSE) infection (Jumpponen & Trappe, 1998; Sieber & Grünig, 2006). DSE occur worldwide in a variety of habitats and often coexist with mycorrhizal fungi (Mandyam & Jumpponen, 2005), and have, for example, been identified in roots of a wide range of plants in a single woodland community (Menoyo et al , 2007). They are regarded as forming a continuum of associations with plant hosts that ranges from parasitism to mutualism (Jumpponen, 2001).…”

Arbuscular mycorrhizas and performance of Polylepis australis trees in relation to livestock density

“…Furthermore, Renison et al (2005) found P. australis seedlings grew extremely little in these areas. As arbuscular mycorrhizas (AM) have been found in P. australis from central Argentina (Menoyo et al, 2007) and other South American Polylepis species which also have low seed viability and high domestic livestock densities (Hensen, 1994), soil degradation and its negative impact on AM colonization and AMF diversity could be Polylepis australis trees endemic to Argentina dominate the canopy of subtropical high altitude forests. Here, livestock rearing is the main economic activity and is suspect of the low performance of P. australis trees through direct and indirect effects which could include the reduction in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and their benefit to trees.…”

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and dark septate fungi in plants associated with aquatic environments

“…DSF have been observed in different countries of all the regions of the world, such as North America (the United States, Canada, Arctic and the Subarctic), South America (Argentina, Peru), Europe (Germany, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Czeck Republic, among others), Africa (South Africa), Asia (Japan, China, India), Oceania (Australia), and Antarctica Ohki et al 2002;Ruotsalainen et al 2002;Urcelay 2002;Barrow 2003;Chaurasia et al 2005;Muthukumar et al 2006;Weishampel & Bedford 2006;Li & Guan 2007;Menoyo et al 2007). In Brazil, DSF have been observed in a variety of biomes and ecosystems such as the Atlantic Forest in the states of Santa Catarina (Grippa et al 2007) and Sergipe (Souza 2003), Caatinga in the state of Pernambuco (Santos et al 2000), Campos Rupestres (rupestrian grasslands) in the state of Minas Gerais (Nogueira et al 2005) and wetlands in the state of Paraná (Marins et al 2009).…”

“…There have been several reports of the coexistence of AMF and DSF in terrestrial plants (Ruotsalainen et al 2002;Fuchs & Haselwandter 2004;Beauchamp et al 2005;Cázares et al 2005;Lingfei et al 2005;Pietikainen et al 2005;Muthukumar et al 2006;Menoyo et al 2007;Postma et al 2007). The coexistence of DSF with other mycorrhizal types, such as ectomycorrhizae (Horton et al 1998;Muthukumar & Udaiyan 2002;Trowbridge & Jumpponen 2004;Li & Guan 2007), ericoid mycorrhizae (Johansson 2001;Urcelay 2002;Rains et al, 2003) and orchid mycorrhizae (Valdes et al 2011), has also been reported.…”