Temporal variation in mycorrhizal diversity and carbon and nitrogen stable isotope abundance in the wintergreen meadow orchid Anacamptis morio.
Many adult orchids, especially photoautotrophic species, associate with a diverse range of mycorrhizal fungi, but little is known about the temporal changes that might occur in the diversity and functioning of orchid mycorrhiza during vegetative and reproductive plant growth. Temporal variations in the spectrum of mycorrhizal fungi and in stable isotope natural abundance were investigated in adult plants of Anacamptis morio, a wintergreen meadow orchid. Anacamptis morio associated with mycorrhizal fungi belonging to Tulasnella, Ceratobasidium and a clade of Pezizaceae (Ascomycetes). When a complete growing season was investigated, multivariate analyses indicated significant differences in the mycorrhizal fungal community. Among fungi identified from manually isolated pelotons, Tulasnella was more common in autumn and winter, the pezizacean clade was very frequent in spring, and Ceratobasidium was more frequent in summer. By contrast, relatively small variations were found in carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) stable isotope natural abundance, A. morio samples showing similar (15)N enrichment and (13)C depletion at the different sampling times. These observations suggest that, irrespective of differences in the seasonal environmental conditions, the plant phenological stages and the associated fungi, the isotopic content in mycorrhizal A. morio remains fairly constant over time.
Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Viale P.A. Mattioli 25, 10125, Torino, Italy.
Enrico
E
Ercole
Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Viale P.A. Mattioli 25, 10125, Torino, Italy.
Martino
M
Adamo
Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Viale P.A. Mattioli 25, 10125, Torino, Italy.
Michele
M
Rodda
Laboratory of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany.
Gerhard
G
Gebauer
Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Viale P.A. Mattioli 25, 10125, Torino, Italy.
Mariangela
M
Girlanda
Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Viale P.A. Mattioli 25, 10125, Torino, Italy.
Silvia
S
Perotto
D052818:Autotrophic Processes; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D044822:Biodiversity; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D065948:Grassland; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D038821:Mycorrhizae / Q000502:physiology*; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes; D029595:Orchidaceae / Q000382:microbiology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000378:metabolism; D013559:Symbiosis; D013997:Time Factors
D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes
Anacamptis morio; fungal diversity; mixotrophy; mycorrhizal temporal variation; orchid mycorrhiza; stable isotope dynamics