title: [Change of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi community in response to elevational gradients on the Tibetan Plateau, China].
abstract: The community structure of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and mycorrhizal infection in the main herbaceous plants were studied along the elevational gradients on the Tibetan Plateau, and AMF community was characterized based on spore morphology. Community of AMF at lower elevations (2200-3400 m) in southeast Tibetan Plateau included 11 genera, covering 31 species, whereas AMF at intermediate elevations (3400-3900 m) in central Tibet included 11 genera, covering 20 species, and that at higher elevations (4300-5300 m) in northern Tibet included 6 genera, covering 14 species. With the increase of elevation, both spore density (r = 0.978, P <0.01) and species abundance (r = 0.462, P > 0.05) tended to increase. The proportion of dominant species and endemic species increased substantially, while the Shannon index (r = -0.945, P < 0.01) decreased significantly. There was no significant difference in Sorensen index (0.526-0.592) among different altitudes. Mycorrhizal infection at intermediate elevations was significantly higher than that at lower elevations or higher elevations, while the latter two did not differ significantly. Within an altitude range, elevation had significant influence on AMF community and mycorrhizal infection, and the effect differed among the three elevational sites. The results demonstrated that AMF community on the Tibetan Plateau tends to be habitat specific. The water and thermal environment as well as soil environment are the driving forces for shaping AMF community assemblages.
authors.forename: Xiao-bu
authors.initials: XB
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Yue-lin
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Peng
mesh_terms: D000531:Altitude; D017753:Ecosystem; D038821:Mycorrhizae; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000382:microbiology*; D010944:Plants / Q000145:classification / Q000382:microbiology; D012987:Soil; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D018609:Tibet
chemical_list: D012987:Soil