title: Altitudinal distribution patterns of AM fungal assemblages in a Tibetan alpine grassland.
abstract: A better understanding of biogeography of Glomeromycota is essential for the conservation of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal species and the ecosystem services that they provide worldwide. We examined the spatial dynamics of AM fungi along two slopes (4149 m a.s.l. to the summit at 5033 m a.s.l.) of Mount Mila on the Tibetan Plateau. Our hypothesis was that AM fungal communities at higher elevation would show distinct assemblages with lower diversity in conditions of increasing environmental harshness. A total of 52 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) spanning all four orders were detected and some OTUs were habitat specific. Nearly 30% of the OTUs were new phylotypes, including two family-like clades. Distinct communities of AM fungi were found at the higher elevation, demonstrating potential niche differentiation along the elevation gradient. Elevation patterns of taxon richness/diversity differed between the two transects, decreasing with increasing elevation on the eastern slope and being unimodal (or lacking a pattern) on the western slope. Taken together, our findings provide evidence of a significant spatial structure of AM fungi across the elevation gradient, with the distribution patterns of these fungi regulated simultaneously by the plant communities, soil properties and climatic conditions in this plateau montane ecosystem.
authors.affiliation: College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus, 3333 University Way, Kelowna, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Miranda M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.affiliation: College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
authors.forename: Junling
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Tibet Agricultural and Animal Husbandry College, Tibet University, Linzhi 860000, Tibet.
authors.forename: Xiaobu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China gaijp2009@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Jingping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gai
authors.affiliation: College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Christie
authors.affiliation: College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
authors.forename: Xiaolin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus, 3333 University Way, Kelowna, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: John N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Klironomos
mesh_terms: D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D055137:Glomeromycota / Q000145:classification*; D065948:Grassland; D038821:Mycorrhizae / Q000145:classification*; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D018609:Tibet
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal
keywords: Tibet; arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi; community structure; elevation; fungal diversity; vegetation type