The effect of two arbuscular mycorrhizal inocula of contrasting richness and the same mycorrhizal potential on the growth and survival of wild plant species from La Gran Sabana, Venezuela.
Authors:
- Gisela CuencaGCGisela Cuenca
- Zita De AndradeZAZita De Andrade
- Milagros LoveraMLMilagros Lovera
- Laurie FajardoLFLaurie Fajardo
- Erasmo MenesesEMErasmo Meneses
- 1 May 2004
- journal article
- Published by Canadian Science Publishing in Canadian Journal of Botany
- Vol. 82 (5) , 582-589
Abstract
Diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) is potentially important for the productivity and functioning of plant communities. However, from results published to date, it is unclear whether the increase in productivity and plant diversity obtained with increased AMF richness is a consequence of higher richness in itself or whether it is caused simply by an uncontrolled, higher mycorrhizal potential in the more diverse AMF inocula used. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the effect of AMF richness on the biomass and survival of several wild plant species from La Gran Sabana, Venezuela, comparing AMF inocula of varying richness but with similar mycorrhizal potential. We studied the effect of two inocula (containing two and five AMF species respectively, each with 600 propagules/100 g of soil) on growth and survival in a community composed of three woody species indigenous to La Gran Sabana. No differences were found in dry mass production or plant survival when the two inocula of contrasting richness were compared. Reasons for such results include the life history strategies of the AMF used in the present work.Key words: arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal diversity, microcosm, species richness, biodiversity, tropical species.Keywords
This publication has 28 references indexed in Scilit:
- Arbuscular mycorrhizas influence plant diversity and community structure in a semiarid herblandNew Phytologist, 2002
- Diversity of glomalean spores from natural, disturbed and revegetated communities growing on nutrient-poor tropical soilsSoil Biology and Biochemistry, 1998
- Diversity of fungal symbionts in arbuscular mycorrhizas from a natural communityNew Phytologist, 1995
- Functional compatibility in arbuscular mycorrhizas measured as hyphal P transport to the plantNew Phytologist, 1995
- Development of vesicular–arbuscular mycorrhizae in sugar maple (Acer saccharum) and effects of base-cation ammendment on vesicle and arbuscule formationCanadian Journal of Botany, 1993
- Can Fertilization of Soil Select Less Mutualistic Mycorrhizae?Ecological Applications, 1993
- Systematics and taxonomy of the arbuscular endomycorrhizal fungi (Glomales)- a possible way forwardAgronomy for Sustainable Development, 1992
- Factors influencing the occurrence of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizasAgriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 1991
- A new method which gives an objective measure of colonization of roots by vesicular—arbuscular mycorrhizal fungiNew Phytologist, 1990
- Improved procedures for clearing roots and staining parasitic and vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi for rapid assessment of infectionTransactions of the British Mycological Society, 1970