title: Performance of ectomycorrhizal alders exposed to specific Canadian oil sands tailing stressors under in vivo bipartite symbiotic conditions.
abstract: Canadian oil sands tailings are predominately sodic residues contaminated by hydrocarbons such as naphthenic acids. These conditions are harsh for plant development. In this study, we evaluated the effect of inoculating roots of Alnus viridis ssp. crispa and Alnus incana ssp. rugosa with ectomycorrhizal fungi in the presence of tailings compounds. Seedlings were inoculated with 7 different strains of Paxillus involutus and Alpova diplophloeus and were grown under different treatments of NaCl, Na2SO4, and naphthenic acids in a growth chamber. Afterwards, seedling survival, height, dry biomass, leaf necrosis, and root mycorrhization rate were measured. Paxillus involutus Mai was the most successful strain in enhancing alder survival, health, and growth. Seedlings inoculated with this strain displayed a 25% increase in survival rate, 2-fold greater biomass, and 2-fold less leaf necrosis compared with controls. Contrary to our expectations, A. diplophloeus was not as effective as P. involutus in improving seedling fitness, likely because it did not form ectomycorrhizae on roots of either alder species. High intraspecific variation characterized strains of P. involutus in their ability to stimulate alder height and growth and to minimize leaf necrosis. We conclude that in vivo selection under bipartite symbiotic conditions is essential to select effective strains that will be of use for the revegetation and reclamation of derelict lands.
authors.affiliation: a Centre d'étude de la forêt et Institut de biologie intégrative et des systèmes, Université Laval, Ste-Foy, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beaudoin-Nadeau
authors.affiliation: a Centre d'étude de la forêt et Institut de biologie intégrative et des systèmes, Université Laval, Ste-Foy, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gagné
authors.affiliation: b Centre SÈVE, Département de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 2R1, Canada.
authors.forename: Cyntia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bissonnette
authors.affiliation: b Centre SÈVE, Département de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 2R1, Canada.
authors.forename: Pier-Anne
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Bélanger
authors.affiliation: a Centre d'étude de la forêt et Institut de biologie intégrative et des systèmes, Université Laval, Ste-Foy, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.
authors.forename: J André
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Fortin
authors.affiliation: b Centre SÈVE, Département de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 2R1, Canada.
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.affiliation: c National Research Council, Biotechnology Research Institute, Montréal, QC H4P 2R2, Canada.
authors.forename: Charles W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Greer
authors.affiliation: a Centre d'étude de la forêt et Institut de biologie intégrative et des systèmes, Université Laval, Ste-Foy, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.
authors.forename: Damase P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Khasa
mesh_terms: D029661:Alnus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology*; D001487:Basidiomycota / Q000502:physiology; D018533:Biomass; D002170:Canada; D002264:Carboxylic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D038821:Mycorrhizae / Q000254:growth & development*; D061329:Oil and Gas Fields; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology; D036226:Seedlings / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D013559:Symbiosis
chemical_list: D002264:Carboxylic Acids; D012965:Sodium Chloride; C046170:naphthenic acid
keywords: acides naphténiques; alders; aulnes; ectomycorhizes; ectomycorrhizae; naphthenic acids; sodic soils; sols sodiques