Abstract
The arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) status of nine dominant sedge species and the diversity of AM fungi in Tibetan grassland were surveyed in the autumn of 2003 and 2004. Most of the sedge species and ecotypes examined were mycorrhizal, but Carex moorcroftii and Kobresia pusilla were of doubtful AM status, and Kobresia humilis was facultatively mycorrhizal. This is the first report of the mycorrhizal status of eight of the nine sedge species examined. Intraradical vesicles and aseptate hyphae were the structures most frequently observed. Appressoria, coils, and arbuscules were found in the roots of a few sedge species. A strong negative correlation was found between soil organic matter content and the extent of mycorrhizal colonization. Using trap cultures, 26 species of AM fungi belonging to six genera, Glomus, Acaulospora, Paraglomus, Archaeospora, Pacispora, and Scutellospora, were isolated from the soil samples collected. The frequency of occurrence of different taxa of AM fungi varied greatly. Glomus and Acaulospora were the dominant genera, and Acaulospora scrobiculata was the most frequent and abundant species. The species richness of AM fungi was 2.73 in the study area. Species richness and diversity index differed among the sedge species but were not correlated with soil factors such as pH, available P, or organic matter content.
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We thank the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Projects 30370818, 30260055, and 30470341) and the Royal Society (China Exchanges Project 15360) for financial support.
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Appendix
Appendix
AM fungal species and their frequency of isolation from rhizosphere soils of sedges
Species | Frequency |
|---|---|
Acaulospora appendicula Spain, Sieverding & Schenck | 4.5 |
Acaulospora dilatata Morton | 9.1 |
Acaulospora laevis Gerd. & Trappe | 22.7 |
Acaulospora mellea Spain & Schenck | 4.5 |
Acaulospora scrobiculata Trappe | 31.8 |
Acaulospora spinosa Walker & Trappe | 9.1 |
Acaulospora sp. 1 | 9.1 |
Acaulospora sp. 2 | 4.5 |
Archaeospora gerdemanni (Rose, Daniels & Trappe) Morton & Redecker | 4.5 |
Glomus claroideum Schenck & Sm. emend Walker & Vestberg | 18.2 |
Glomus convolutum Gerd. & Trappe | 4.5 |
Glomus clarum Nicolson & Schenck | 4.5 |
Glomus diaphanum Morton & Walker | 9.1 |
Glomus etunicatum Becker & Gerdemann | 9.1 |
Glomus geosporum (Nicol. & Gerd.) Walker | 9.1 |
Glomus glomerulatum Sieverd. | 4.5 |
Glomus intraradices Schenck & Smith | 22.7 |
Glomus luteum Kennedy, Stutz, et Morton | 4.5 |
Glomus manihotis Howeler, Sieverd. & Schenck | 4.5 |
Glomus mosseae (Nicol. & Gerd.) Gerd. & Trappe | 27.3 |
Glomus verruculosum Btaszk | 9.1 |
Glomus sp. 1 | 9.1 |
Pacispora scintillans (Rose & Trappe) Oehl & Sieverd | 13.6 |
Paraglomus occultum (Walker) Morton & Redecker | 9.1 |
Scutellospora calospora (Nicol. & Gerd.) Walker | 9.1 |
Scutellospora verrucosa (Koske & C. Walker) Walker & Sanders | 4.5 |
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Gai, J.P., Cai, X.B., Feng, G. et al. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi associated with sedges on the Tibetan plateau. Mycorrhiza 16, 151–157 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00572-005-0031-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00572-005-0031-8