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Mycorrhizal characterization of the boojum tree, Fouquieria columnaris, an endemic ancient tree from the Baja California Peninsula, Mexico

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Abstract

The mycorrhizal association with the boojum tree, Fouquieria columnaris (=Idria columnaris), was studied. This unusual tree is almost exclusively endemic to granite and volcanic soils in highly arid areas of the Baja California Peninsula of Mexico. Soil and root samples from ten sites, covering the extent of geographic distribution of the tree on the peninsula, were analyzed. The roots of the boojum tree contained all structures of an arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) association. Morphologically different species, 23 in number, were identified in close vicinity to the boojum tree indicating that F. columnaris is associated with a high number of AM species of several AM genera and families.

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Acknowledgments

This work was partially funded by the KUWI Program of the Universität für Bodenkultur Wien (HV) in Austria, by the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT) in Mexico (YB), by a grant of the government of Thailand (TK) and by the Bashan Foundation in the USA.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental Microbiology Group, Northwestern Center for Biological Research (CIBNOR), Mar Bermejo 195, Colonia Playa Palo de Santa Rita, La Paz, B.C.S. 23090, Mexico

    Y. Bashan & B. G. Salazar

  2. Institut für Pflanzenschutz, Department für Angewandte Pflanzenwissenschaften und Pflanzenbiotechnologie, Universität für Bodenkultur Wien, Peter-Jordan-Str. 82, 1190, Vienna, Austria

    T. Khaosaad & Horst Vierheilig

  3. Department of Microbiology, Estación Experimental del Zaidin, CSIC. Calle Profesor Albareda 1, 18008, Granada, Spain

    J. A. Ocampo

  4. Zürich Basel Plant Science Center, Botanisches Institut der Universität Basel, Hebelstr. 1, 4056, Basel, Switzerland

    A. Wiemken & F. Oehl

Authors
  1. Y. Bashan
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  2. T. Khaosaad
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  3. B. G. Salazar
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  4. J. A. Ocampo
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  5. A. Wiemken
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  6. F. Oehl
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  7. Horst Vierheilig
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Horst Vierheilig.

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Communicated by R. Hampp.

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Bashan, Y., Khaosaad, T., Salazar, B.G. et al. Mycorrhizal characterization of the boojum tree, Fouquieria columnaris, an endemic ancient tree from the Baja California Peninsula, Mexico. Trees 21, 329–335 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-007-0126-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-007-0126-2

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