title: Variation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities along an altitudinal gradient in rupestrian grasslands in Brazil.
abstract: Variation in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) communities is described for the first time in rupestrian grasslands in Brazil along an altitudinal gradient of 700 m (800 to 1400 m a.s.l.). Hypotheses tested were that soil properties influence the variation in AMF communities and that the frequency of the most common species of AMF is inversely influenced by the richness of other AMF. Field and laboratory data were collected on AMF community composition, richness, density, and frequency in the altitudinal gradient, and the relationships with several physical-chemical soil properties and altitude were evaluated. Fifty-one species of AMF were recorded, with 14 species being reported as possibly new to science and nine species representing new records for Brazil. This single elevation gradient alone contains 22% of the known world diversity of AMF. Soil properties and AMF community density and richness varied significantly along the elevation (p < 0.05). AMF density and richness were higher at the intermediate altitude, while AMF species composition differed statistically among the altitudes.
authors.affiliation: ICB/Departamento de Biologia Geral, Laboratório de Ecologia Evolutiva & Biodiversidade, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, C. Postal 486, 30161-970, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Etiene Silva
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Coutinho
authors.affiliation: ICB/Departamento de Biologia Geral, Laboratório de Ecologia Evolutiva & Biodiversidade, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, C. Postal 486, 30161-970, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. gw.fernandes@gmail.com.|Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA. gw.fernandes@gmail.com.
authors.forename: G Wilson
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.affiliation: IA/Departamento de Solos, Laboratório de Biologia de Solos, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, 23890-000, Seropédica, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ricardo Luís Louro
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Berbara
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Geral, Laboratório de Microbiologia Ambiental, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, C. Postal 126, 39401-089, Montes Claros, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Henrique Maia
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Valério
authors.affiliation: CB/Departamento de Botânica e Zoologia, Laboratório de Biologia de Micorrizas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 59072-970, Natal, RN, Brazil.
authors.forename: Bruno Tomio
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Goto
mesh_terms: D044822:Biodiversity; D001938:Brazil; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D065948:Grassland; D038821:Mycorrhizae / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D013172:Spores, Fungal
chemical_list: D012987:Soil
keywords: Espinhaço mountains; Fungal diversity; Mountain ecosystems; Serra do Cipó; Soil characteristics