title: Patterns of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal Distribution on Mainland and Island Sandy Coastal Plain Ecosystems in Brazil.
abstract: Although sandy coastal plains are important buffer zones to protect the coast line and maintain biological diversity and ecosystem services, these ecosystems have been endangered by anthropogenic activities. Thus, information on coastal biodiversity and forces shaping coastal biological diversity are extremely important for effective conservation strategies. In this study, we aimed to compare arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal communities from soil samples collected on the mainland and nearby islands located in Brazilian sandy coastal plain ecosystems (Restingas) to get information about AM fungal biogeography and identify factors shaping these communities. Soil samples were collected in 2013 and 2014 on the beachfront of the tropical sandy coastal plain at six sites (three island and three mainland locations) across the northeast, southeast, and south regions of Brazil. Overall, we recorded 53 AM fungal species from field and trap culture samples. The richness and diversity of AM fungal species did not differ between mainland and island locations, but AM fungal community assemblages were different between mainland and island environments and among most sites sampled. Glomeromycota communities registered from island samples showed higher heterogeneity than communities from mainland samples. Sandy coastal plains harbor diverse AM fungal communities structured by climatic, edaphic, and spatial factors, while the distance from the colonizing source (mainland environments) does not strongly affect the AM fungal communities in Brazilian coastal environments.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia de Fungos, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. da Engenharia, s/n, Cidade Universitária, CEP 50740-600, Recife, PE, Brazil. iolandaramalho@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Iolanda Ramalho
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.affiliation: Embrapa Milho e Sorgo, Núcleo de Biologia Aplicada, Rod. MG 424 KM 45, Bairro Esmeraldas, s/n, Caixa Postal 285, CEP 35701-970, Sete Lagoas, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Francisco Adriano
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco, Campus de Ciências Agrárias, Rodovia BR 407, Km 12, Lote 543, Projeto de Irrigação Nilo Coelho, s/n, "C1", CEP 56300-990, Petrolina, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Danielle Karla Alves
authors.initials: DKA
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.affiliation: Agroscope, Ecotoxicology, Schloss 1, CH-8820, Wädenswil, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Fritz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Oehl
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia de Fungos, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. da Engenharia, s/n, Cidade Universitária, CEP 50740-600, Recife, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Leonor Costa
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Maia
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D055137:Glomeromycota / Q000502:physiology*; D062312:Islands; D064307:Microbiota; D038821:Mycorrhizae; D012988:Soil Microbiology
keywords: AM fungi; Coastal environments; Communities; Environmental factors; Glomeromycota