title: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal assemblages in biological crusts from a Neotropical savanna are not related to the dominant perennial Trachypogon.
abstract: Knowledge of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal assemblages in the Trachypogon savanna ecosystems is very important to a better understanding of the ecological processes mediated by this soil microbial group that affects multiple ecosystem functions. Considering the hypothesis that the biocrusts can be linked to vegetation through the arbuscular fungi mycelial network, the objectives proposed in this study were to determine (i) whether there are arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in the biocrusts (ii) whether arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal assemblages are linked to the Trachypogon patches, and (iii) whether the composition of the assemblages is related to soil properties affected by microbiological activity. The community structure of the AMF was investigated in three habitats: rhizospheric soil and roots of Trachypogon vestitus, biological soil crusts, and bare soil. The canonical correspondence analysis showed that two soil properties related to enzymatic activity (protease and β-glucosidase) significantly affected the community composition of the AMF. The biocrusts in the Venezuelan savanna are colonized by an AM fungal community linked to that of the bare soil and significantly different from that hosted by the roots of the surrounding T. vestitus, suggesting that assemblages of AMF in biocrusts might be related more closely to those of annual plant species appearing in favorable conditions.
authors.affiliation: Universidad Simón Rodríguez (USR), Instituto de Estudios Científicos y Tecnológicos IDECYT, Av. Mara Altos del Cují, San Antonio de los Altos, estado Miranda, Apdo 47925, Venezuela.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Hernández-Hernández
authors.affiliation: CSIC-Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura, Department of Soil and Water Conservation, P.O. Box 164, Campus de Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Roldán
authors.affiliation: CSIC-Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura, Department of Soil and Water Conservation, P.O. Box 164, Campus de Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Caravaca
authors.affiliation: CSIC-Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura, Department of Soil and Water Conservation, P.O. Box 164, Campus de Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Caballero
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología Aplicada, Área de Botánica, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Avda. De la Universidad s/n., 03202 Elche, Alicante, Spain.
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.affiliation: Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnología, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Móstoles 28933, Spain.
authors.forename: F T
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Maestre
authors.affiliation: CSIC-Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura, Department of Soil and Water Conservation, P.O. Box 164, Campus de Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain. Electronic address: mmalguacil@cebas.csic.es.
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Alguacil
mesh_terms: D017753:Ecosystem; D065948:Grassland; D038821:Mycorrhizae; D018517:Plant Roots; D006109:Poaceae; D058441:Rhizosphere; D012987:Soil; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D014687:Venezuela
chemical_list: D012987:Soil
keywords: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi; Biocrusts; Diversity; Savanna; Soil properties