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Seasonal variation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in temperate grasslands along a wide hydrologic gradient

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Abstract

We studied seasonal variation in population attributes of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi over 2 years in four sites of temperate grasslands of the Argentinean Flooding Pampas. The sites represent a wide range of soil conditions, hydrologic gradients, and floristic composition. Lotus glaber, a perennial herbaceous legume naturalised in the Flooding Pampas, was dominant at the four plant community sites. Its roots were highly colonised by AM fungi. Temporal variations in spore density, spore type, AM root colonisation, floristic composition and soil chemical characteristics occurred in each site and were different among sites. The duration of flooding had no effect on spore density but depressed AM root colonisation. Eleven different types of spores were recognized and four were identified. Two species dominated at the four sites: Glomus fasciculatum and Glomus intraradices. Spore density was highest in summer (dry season) and lowest in winter (wet season) with intermediate values in autumn and spring. Colonisation of L. glaber roots was highest in summer or spring and lowest in winter or autumn. The relative density of G. fasciculatum and G. intraradices versus Glomus sp. and Acaulospora sp. had distinctive seasonal peaks. These seasonal peaks occurred at all four sites, suggesting differences among AM fungus species with respect to the seasonality of sporulation. Spore density and AM root colonisation when measured at any one time were poorly related to each other. However, spore density was significantly correlated with root colonisation 3 months before, suggesting that high colonisation in one season precedes high sporulation in the next season.

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Acknowledgements

Thanks to Dra. Marta Collantes for helpful comments on the manuscript, Mr. Carlos Hernandez for field and glasshouse technical assistance and Eduardo Pagani and Juan Rivas for measuring root length colonised. Special thanks Dr. N.J. Barrow for checking the English writing.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Escuela de Agronomía, Universidad del Mar, Carmen 446, Cerro Los Placeres, Valparaíso, Chile

    Viviana Escudero

  2. Centro de Estudios Farmacológicos y Botánicos (CEFYBO), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Serrano 669, 1414 , Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Rodolfo Mendoza

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  1. Viviana Escudero
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  2. Rodolfo Mendoza
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Correspondence to Rodolfo Mendoza.

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Escudero, V., Mendoza, R. Seasonal variation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in temperate grasslands along a wide hydrologic gradient. Mycorrhiza 15, 291–299 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00572-004-0332-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00572-004-0332-3

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