Fungal associates of Pyrola rotundifolia, a mixotrophic Ericaceae, from two Estonian boreal forests.
Pyrola rotundifolia (Ericaceae, Pyroleae tribe) is an understorey subshrub that was recently demonstrated to receive considerable amount of carbon from its fungal mycorrhizal associates. So far, little is known of the identity of these fungi and the mycorrhizal anatomy in the Pyroleae. Using 140 mycorrhizal root fragments collected from two Estonian boreal forests already studied in the context of mixotrophic Ericaceae in sequence analysis of the ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer region, we recovered 71 sequences that corresponded to 45 putative species in 19 fungal genera. The identified fungi were mainly ectomycorrhizal basidiomycetes, including Tomentella, Cortinarius, Russula, Hebeloma, as well as some ectomycorrhizal and/or endophytic ascomycetes. The P. rotundifolia fungal communities of the two forests did not differ significantly in terms of species richness, diversity and nutritional mode. The relatively high diversity retrieved suggests that P. rotundifolia does not have a strict preference for any fungal taxa. Anatomical analyses showed typical arbutoid mycorrhizae, with variable mantle structures, uniseriate Hartig nets and intracellular hyphal coils in the large epidermal cells. Whenever compared, fungal ultrastructure was congruent with the molecular identification. Similarly to other mixotrophic and autotrophic pyroloids in the same forests, P. rotundifolia shares its mycorrhizal fungal associates with surrounding trees that are likely a carbon source for pyroloids.
Vincenot
Lucie
L
Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CNRS, UMR 5175), Equipe Interactions Biotiques, 1919 Route de Mende, 34293, Montpellier Cedex 5, France. lucie.vincenot@cefe.cnrs.fr.
Tedersoo
Leho
L
Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, 40 Lai Str., 51005, Tartu, Estonia.|Natural History Museum of Tartu University, 46 Vanemuise Str., 51005, Tartu, Estonia.
Richard
Franck
F
Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CNRS, UMR 5175), Equipe Interactions Biotiques, 1919 Route de Mende, 34293, Montpellier Cedex 5, France.
Horcine
Houria
H
Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CNRS, UMR 5175), Equipe Interactions Biotiques, 1919 Route de Mende, 34293, Montpellier Cedex 5, France.
Kõljalg
Urmas
U
Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, 40 Lai Str., 51005, Tartu, Estonia.
Selosse
Marc-André
MA
Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CNRS, UMR 5175), Equipe Interactions Biotiques, 1919 Route de Mende, 34293, Montpellier Cedex 5, France.
D001203:Ascomycota / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D044822:Biodiversity; D055363:Cortinarius / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018744:DNA, Plant / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000032:analysis; D029791:Ericaceae / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004957:Estonia; D055364:Hebeloma / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D038821:Mycorrhizae / Q000235:genetics / Q000648:ultrastructure; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013045:Species Specificity; D014197:Trees / Q000382:microbiology*
D004271:DNA, Fungal; D018744:DNA, Plant; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer
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