Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Infectivity and community composition of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi from different soil depths in intensively managed agricultural ecosystems

  • Soils, Sec 5 • Soil and Landscape Ecology • Research Article
  • Published:
Journal of Soils and Sediments Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi represent a functionally important component of soil microbial communities. It is critical to achieve an improved understanding of the community structure of the indigenous AM fungi if we are to use this group of fungi either as indicators of ecosystem health or to enhance the sustainability of agricultural systems. In the present study, we assessed the impact of land use and soil depth on the number and community composition of infective AM fungal propagules in high-input agricultural ecosystems.

Materials and methods

Three different agricultural land use systems with high management intensity were selected, i.e., vegetable greenhouses, arable land, and open vegetable fields. Soil samples were collected from different soil depths (0–30, 30–60, and 60–90 cm) of three replicated (triplicate) land-use types at two sites in north China. The modified mean infection percentage (MIP) method was used to determine the inoculum potential of each soil sample. The community composition of AM fungi was analyzed using PCR, cloning, and sequencing techniques.

Results and discussion

Land use and soil depth greatly influenced the development of root-associated AM fungi and also edaphic properties. MIPs and species richness were lower in the top (0–30 cm) of soil profile in the vegetable greenhouses than in the nearby open vegetable fields or arable fields. Moreover, AM fungal distribution in the soil profile varied with land use. The MIPs and species richness decreased with increasing soil depth in the arable land and open vegetable fields. By contrast, in the greenhouse vegetable soils, the highest richness was found in the deepest soil depth (60–90 cm). The presence and prevalence of AM fungi also varied with land-use type and soil depth. Of the 13 total phylotypes investigated, Glo 6, Div 1, and Glo 1 accounted for 82.8 % of AM fungal clones analyzed and were present in each land-use type and soil depth. There were some observed phylotypes that were only found below 30 cm depth (Glo 4, Glo 5, Div 3, and Div 4).

Conclusions

AM fungal infectivity and richness were not always lower in the deeper soil profiles in the greenhouse than in the agricultural fields. High land-use intensity was correlated with a preferential persist of some AM fungi in the deeper soil layers to escape from the adverse conditions caused by intensive farming practices.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abbott LK, Robson AD (1991) Factors influencing the occurrence of vesicular–arbuscular mycorrhizas. Agric Ecosyst Environ 35:121–150

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson EL, Millner PD, Kunishi HM (1987) Maize root length density and mycorrhizal infection as influenced by tillage and soil phosphorus. J Plant Nutr 10:1349–1356

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Augé RM (2001) Water relations, drought and vesicular–arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis. Mycorrhiza 11:3–42

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Borowicz VA (2001) Do arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi alter plant–pathogen relations? Ecology 82:3057–3068

    Google Scholar 

  • Brady NC, Weil RR (1996) Organisms and ecology of the soil. The nature and properties of soil, 11th edn. Prentice-Hall, Upper Saddle River, pp 328–360

    Google Scholar 

  • Cambardella CA, Gajda AM, Doran JW, Wienhold BJ, Kettler TA (2001) Estimation of particulate and total organic matter by weight loss on ignition. In: Lal R, Kimble JM, Follett RF, Stewart BA (eds) Assessment methods for soil carbon. Lewis, Boca Raton

    Google Scholar 

  • Chagnon PL, Bradley RL, Maherali H, and Klironomos JN (2013) A trait-based framework to understand life history of mycorrhizal fungi. Trends Plant Sci 18:484–491

  • China Ministry of Agriculture, 2008. China Agriculture Statistical Data. China Agriculture Press, Beijing, China,p. 16 (in Chinese)

  • Clapp JP, Young JPW, Merryweather J, Fitter AH (1995) Diversity of fungal symbionts in arbuscular mycorrhizas from a natural communitiy. New Phytol 130:259–265

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Daniell TJ, Husband R, Fitter AH, Young JPW (2001) Molecular diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi colonising arable crops. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 36:203–209

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Development Core Team R (2011) R: A language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna

    Google Scholar 

  • Douds DD, Johnson NC (2004) Contributions of arbuscular mycorrhizas to soil biological fertility. In: Abbott LK, Murphy DV (eds) Soilbiological fertility: a key to sustainable land use in agriculture. Springer, Berlin, pp 129–162

  • Douds DD, Millner P (1999) Biodiversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in agroecosystems. Agric Ecosyst Environ 74:77–93

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Douds DD, Janke RR, Peters SE (1993) VAM fungus spore populations and colonization of roots of maize and soybean under conventional and low-input sustainable agriculture. Agric Ecosyst Environ 43:325–335

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Entry JA, Rygiewicz PT, Watrud LS, Donnelly PK (2002) Influence of adverse soil conditions on the formation and function of arbuscular mycorrhizas. Adv Environ Res 7:123–138

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Franke-Snyder M, Douds DD, Galvez L, Phillips JG, Wagoner P, Drinkwater L, Morton JB (2001) Diversity of communities of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi present in conventional versus low-input agricultural sites in eastern Pennsylvania, USA. Appl Soil Ecol 16:35–48

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • García JP, Wortmann CS, Mamo M, Drijber RA, Quincke JA, Tarkalson D (2007) One-time tillage of no-till: effects on nutrients, mycorrhizae, and phosphorus uptake. J Agron 99:1093–1103

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Good IJ (1953) The population frequencies of species and the estimation of population parameters. Biometrika 40:237–264

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • He FF, Chen Q, Jiang RF, Chen XP, Zhang FS (2007) Yield and nitrogen balance of greenhouse (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill) with conventional and site-specific nitrogen management in Northern China. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 77:1–14

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Helgason T, Daniell T, Husband R, Fitter AH, Young J (1998) Ploughing up the wood-wide web? Nature 394:431

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hijri I, Sykorová Z, Oehl F, Ineichen K, Mäder P, Wiemken A, Redecker D (2006) Communities of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in arable soils are not necessarily low in diversity. Mol Ecol 15:2277–2289

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jakobsen I, Nielsen NE (1983) Vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhiza in field-grown crops. I. Mycorrhizal infection in cereals and peas at various times and soil depths. New Phytol 93:401–413

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jakobsen I, Rosendahl L (1990) Carbon flow into soil and external hyphae from roots of mycorrhizal cucumber plants. New Phytol 115:77–83

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jansa J et al (2002) Diversity and structure of AMF communities as affected by tillage in a temperate soil. Mycorrhiza 12:225–234

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jansa J, Mozafar A, Kuhn G, Anken T, Ruh R, Sanders IR, Frossard E (2003) Soil tillage affects the community structures of mycorrhizal fungi in maize roots. Ecol Appl 13:1164–1176

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jansa J, Wiemken A, Frossard E (2006) The effects of agricultural practices on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. In: Frossard E, Blum W, Warkentin B (eds) Function of soils for human societies and the environment. Special Publication of the Geological Society 266:89–115

  • Jiao H, Chen YL, Lin XG, Liu RJ (2011) Diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in greenhouse soils continuously planted to watermelon in North China. Mycorrhiza 21:681–688

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson NC (1993) Can fertilizatioin of soil select less mutualistic mycorrhizae? Ecol Appl 3:749–757

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson D, Vandenkoornhuyse PJ, Leake JR, Gilbert L, Booth RE, Grime PJ, Young JPW, Read D (2003) Plant communities affect arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal diversity and community composition in grassland microcosms. New Phytol 161:503–515

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ju XT, Kou CL, Christie P, Dou ZX, Zhang FS (2007) Changes in the soil environment from excessive application of fertilizers and manures to two contrasting intensive cropping systems on the North China Plain. Environ Pollut 145:497–506

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kabir Z, O’Halloran IP, Widden P, Hamel C (1998) Vertical distribution of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi under corn (Zea mays L) in no-till and conventional tillage systems. Mycorrhiza 8:53–55

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kiers ET, West SA, Denison RF (2002) Mediating mutualisms: farm management practices and evolutionary changes in symbiont co-operation. J Appl Ecol 39:745–754

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Köhl L, Oehl F, van der Heijden MGA (2014) Agricultural practices indirectly influence plant productivity and ecosystem services through effects on soil biota. Ecol Appl 24:1842–1853

  • Krüger M, Stockinger H, Krüger C, Schüßler A (2009) DNA-based species level detection of Glomeromycota: one PCR primer set for all arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. New Phytol 183:212–223

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kurle JE, Pfleger FL (1994) Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus spore populations respond to conversions between low-input and conventional management practices in a corn–soybean rotation. J Agric 86:467–475

    Google Scholar 

  • Lauber CL, Strickland MS, Bradford MA, Fierer N (2008) The influence of soil properties on the structure of bacterial and fungal communities across land use types. Soil Biol Biochem 40:2407–2415

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lekberg Y, Koide R, Twomlow S (2008) Effect of agricultural management practices on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal abundance in low-input cropping systems of southern Africa: a case study from Zimbabwe. Biol Fert Soils 44:917–923

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li MG (2000) Operating principles and techniques of plant genes. Tianjin Science and Technology Press, Tianjin

    Google Scholar 

  • Li XL, George E, Marschner H (1991a) Phosphorus depletion and pH decrease at the root-soil and hyphae–soil interfaces of VA-mycorrhizal white clover fertilized with ammonium. New Phytol 119:397–404

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li XL, Marschner H, George E (1991b) Acquisition of phosphorus and copper by VA-mycorrhizal hyphae and root to shoot transport in white clover. Plant Soil 136:49–57

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li XL, Gai JP, Cai XB, Li XL, Christie P, Zhang FS, Zhang JL (2014) Molecular diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi associated with two co-occurring perennial plant species on a Tibetan altitudinal gradient. Mycorrhiza 24(2):95–107

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu RJ, Li M, Wang FY (2001) A preliminary research on the species diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the greenhouse vegetable lands. J Laiyang Agric Coll 18:280–283 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Maherali H, Klironomos JN (2012) Phylogenetic and trait-based assembly of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities. PLoS ONE 7:36695

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martinez TN, Johnson NC (2010) Agricultural management influences propagule densities and functioning of arbuscular mycorrhizas in low- and high-input agroecosystems in arid environments. Appl Soil Ecol 46:300–306

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meharg AA, Cairney JWG (2000) Co-evolution of mycorrhizal symbionts and their hosts to metal-contaminated environments. Adv Ecol Res 30:69–112

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Moorman T, Reeves FB (1979) The role of endomycorrhizae in revegetation practices in the semi-arid west. Part II. A bioassay to determine the effect of land disturbance on endomycorrhizal populations. Am J Bot 66:14–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Murty D, Kirschbaum MUF, McMurtrie RE, McGilvray A (2002) Does conversion of forest to agricultural land change soil carbon and nitrogen? A review of the literature. Glob Change Biol 8:105–123

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neville J, Tessier JL, Morrison I, Scarratt J, Canning B, Klironomos JN (2002) Soil depth distribution of ecto- and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi associated with Populus tremuloides within a 3-year-old boreal forest clear-cut. Appl Soil Ecol 19:209–216

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Newman EI, Reddell P (1987) The distribution of mycorrhizas among families of vascular plants. New Phytol 106:745–751

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oehl F, Sieverding E, Ineichen K, Mader P, Boller T, Wiemken A (2003) Impact of land use intensity on the species diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in agroecosystems of central Europe. Appl Environ Microbiol 69:2816–2824

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Oehl F, Sieverding E, Mader P, Dubois D, Ineichen K, Boller T, Wiemken A (2004) Impact of long-term conventional and organic farming on the diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Oecologia 138:547–583

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oehl F, Sieverding E, Ineichen K, Ris EA, Boller T, Wiemken A (2005) Community structure of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi at different soil depths in extensively and intensively managed agroecosystems. New Phytol 165:273–283

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oehl F, Laczko E, Bogenrieder A, Stahr K, Bösch R, van der Heijden M, Sieverding E (2010) Soil type and land use intensity determine the composition of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities. Soil Biol Biochem 42:724–738

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Olsen SR, Sommers LE (1982) Phosphorus. In: Page AL, Miller RH, Keeney DR (eds) Methods of soil analysis, part 2. Am Soc Agron and Soil Sci Soc Am, Madison

    Google Scholar 

  • Post WM, Mann LK (1990) Changes in soil organic carbon and nitrogen as a result of cultivation. In: Bowman AF (ed) Soil and the greenhouse effect. Wiley, New York, pp 401–407

    Google Scholar 

  • Pozo MJ, Azcón-Aguilar C (2007) Unraveling mycorrhiza-induced resistance. Curr Opin Plant Biol 10:393–398

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Qiu SJ, Ju XT, Ingwersen J, Qin ZC, Li L, Streck T, Christie P, Zhang FS (2010) Changes in soil carbon and nitrogen pools after shifting from conventional cereal to greenhouse vegetable production. Soil Tillage Res 107:80–87

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Redecker D (2002) Molecular identification and phylogeny of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Plant Soil 244:67–73

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Redecker D, Hijri I, Wiemken A (2003) Molecular identification of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in roots: perspectives and problems. Folia Geobot 38:113–124

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Richter BS, Tiller RL, Stutz JC (2002) Assessment of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal propagules and colonization from abandoned agricultural fields and semi-arid grasslands in riparian floodplains. Appl Soil Ecol 20:227–238

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sanders IR (2004) Plant and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal diversity—are we looking at the relevant levels of diversity and are we using the right techniques? New Phytol 164:415–418

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schloss PD, Handelsman J (2005) Introducing DOTUR, a computer program for defining operational taxonomic units and estimating species richness. Appl Environ Microbiol 71:1501–1506

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Simon L, Bousquet J, Lévesque RC, Lalonde M (1993) Origin and diversification of endomycorrhizal fungi and coincidence with vascular land plants. Nature 363:67–69

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith SE, Read DJ (2008) Mycorrhizal symbiosis, 3rd edn. Academic, New York, London, p 787

    Google Scholar 

  • Tawaraya K, Saito M, Morioka M, Waqatsuma T (1994) Effect of phosphate application to arbuscular mycorrhizal onion on the development and succinate dehydrogenase activity of internal hyphae. Soil Sci Plant Nutr 40:667–673

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vandenkoornhuyse P, Husband R, Daniell TJ, Watson IJ, Duck JM, Fitter AH, Young JPW (2002) Arbuscular mycorrhizal community composition associated with two plant species in a grassland ecosystem. Mol Ecol 11:1555–1564

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Verbruggen E, Roling WFM, Gamper HA, Kowalchuk GA, Verhoef HA, vander Heijden MGA (2010) Positive effects of organic farming on below-ground mutualists: large-scale comparison of mycorrhizal fungal communities in agricultural soils. New Phytol 186:968–979

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu JH, Li XL, Christie P, Li JL (2005) Environmental implications of low nitrogen use efficiency in excessively fertilized hot pepper (Capsicum frutescens L.) cropping systems. Agric Ecosyst Environ 111:70–80

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank the National Basic Research Program of China (Project 2009CB119000), the innovative group grant of NSFC (No. 31121062), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Projects 41071179 and 41271269) for financial support.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Sciences and Technology, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China

    Jingping Gai

  2. Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions, Ministry of Education, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China

    Wenjun Gao, Lei Liu, Qing Chen, Gu Feng, Junling Zhang, Peter Christie & Xiaolin Li

Authors
  1. Jingping Gai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Wenjun Gao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Lei Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Qing Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Gu Feng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Junling Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Peter Christie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Xiaolin Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xiaolin Li.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Ian Anderson

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Table S1

(DOCX 18 kb)

Table S2

(DOCX 15 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Gai, J., Gao, W., Liu, L. et al. Infectivity and community composition of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi from different soil depths in intensively managed agricultural ecosystems. J Soils Sediments 15, 1200–1211 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-015-1060-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-015-1060-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation