Composition of AMF in Ontario Tallgrass Prairies With Different Disturbance History
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), in the phylum Glomeromycota, form symbiotic relationships with most vascular plants, including grasses. Tallgrass prairies (TGPs) are an endangered habitat in Ontario; some undisturbed fragments remain and there have been efforts to restore disused agricultural land to prairie. The objective of this study was to investigate differences in the community composition of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi between disturbed and undisturbed TGP at five locations across southwestern Ontario. The V4 variable region of the small ribosomal subunit was amplified from DNAs extracted from soil samples, and sequence analysis yielded operational taxonomic units (OTUs) representing twelve genera of Glomeromycota. There was a significant difference in the community composition of the AMF communities in undisturbed TGP remnants and restored TGP that had been previously disturbed, with an overall lower species diversity in the previously disturbed than undisturbed sites. Some OTUs of Entrophospora and Septoglomus were found to be potential indicator taxa of disturbed TGPs, whereas Ambispora fennica and some OTUs of Glomus were found to be potential indicator taxa of undisturbed TGPs. Some Diversispora OTUs were found to be significant taxa in disturbed sites and others in undisturbed TGP sites; likely due to differences in reproductive strategy between species within the genus. These finding have implications for success of TGP restoration and should be considered in future efforts.
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), in the phylum Glomeromycota, form symbiotic relationships with most vascular plants, including grasses. Tallgrass prairies (TGPs) are an endangered habitat in Ontario; some undisturbed fragments remain and there have been efforts to restore disused agricultural land to prairie. The objective of this study was to investigate differences in the community composition of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi between disturbed and undisturbed TGP at five locations across southwestern Ontario. The V4 variable region of the small ribosomal subunit was amplified from DNAs extracted from soil samples, and sequence analysis yielded operational taxonomic units (OTUs) representing twelve genera of Glomeromycota. There was a significant difference in the community composition of the AMF communities in undisturbed TGP remnants and restored TGP that had been previously disturbed, with an overall lower species diversity in the previously disturbed than undisturbed sites. Some OTUs of Entrophospora and Septoglomus were found to be potential indicator taxa of disturbed TGPs, whereas Ambispora fennica and some OTUs of Glomus were found to be potential indicator taxa of undisturbed TGPs. Some Diversispora OTUs were found to be significant taxa in disturbed sites and others in undisturbed TGP sites; likely due to differences in reproductive strategy between species within the genus. These finding have implications for success of TGP restoration and should be considered in future efforts.
UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO