title: Diversity and community structure of ectomycorrhizal fungi associated with Larix chinensis across the alpine treeline ecotone of Taibai Mountain.
abstract: Alpine treeline ecotones represent ecosystems that are vulnerable to climate change. We investigated the ectomycorrhizal (ECM) community, which has potential to stabilize alpine ecosystems. ECM communities associated with Larix chinensis were studied in four zones along a natural ecotone from a mixed forest stand over pure forest stands, the timberline, and eventually, the treeline (3050-3450 m) in Tabai Mountain, China. Sixty operational taxonomic units (OTUs) of ECM fungi were identified by sequencing the rDNA internal transcribed spacer of ECM tips. The richness of ECM species increased with elevation. The soil C/N ratio was the most important factor explaining ECM species richness. The treeline zone harbored some unique ECM fungi whereas no unique genera were observed in the timberline and pure forest zone. Elevation and topography were equally important factors influencing ECM communities in the alpine region. We suggest that a higher diversity of the ECM fungal community associated with L. chinensis in the treeline zone could result from niche differentiation.
authors.affiliation: College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China.
authors.forename: Qisheng
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China. huangj@nwsuaf.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China.
authors.forename: Dongfeng
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Long
authors.affiliation: College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China.
authors.forename: Xiaobing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: College of Landscape Architecture and Arts, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China. ljj@nwsuaf.edu.cn.|Ningxia Helan Mountain Forest Ecosystem Orientational Research Station, Yinchuan, 750000, China. ljj@nwsuaf.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Jianjun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D057231:Climate Change; D017753:Ecosystem; D028221:Larix / Q000382:microbiology*; D038821:Mycorrhizae / Q000145:classification*; D012988:Soil Microbiology
keywords: Alpine treeline ecotone; Diversity; Ectomycorrhizal fungi; Larix chinensis; Taibai Mountain