ISSN 2736-1756
Advanced Journal of Microbiology Research ISSN 2241-9837 Vol. 13 (4), pp. 001-009, April, 2019. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizae in areas with different successional stages at a tropical dry forest biome in Brazil
Fernanda Covacevich1* and Ricardo L. L. Berbara2
1Department of Agronomy, EEA INTA-FCA, UNMP, C.C. 276, Balcarce, Buenos Aires 7620, Argentina.
2Department of Soil, Rural Federal University of Río de Janeiro (UFRRJ), BR 465, km 7, CEP 23890-970 Seropédica, RJ, Brazil.
Accepted 23 January, 2019
Abstract
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi mycelium creates multiple fungal links between roots of plants and could be an important component of plant succession in ecosystems. Our objective was to compare the spore number (SN), genus contribution and indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization (AMC) capacity of soils from a tropical dry forest (caatinga) ecosystem in Brazil at different levels of successional stages after culturing for 3 months in a greenhouse Brachiaria decumbens (= Urochloa decumbens Staph) as trap plants. Soil samples were collected from Parque Estadual Mata Seca (Manga, Minas Gerais State, Brazil) in four different areas: (a) Pasture (5 years without human activity, covered mainly by Panicum maximum Jacq.); and three different forest successional stages: (b) Initial (8 years in process of spontaneous recovery), (c) Intermediate (17 years without human activity) and (d) Late (no recorded human activity). At 90 DAP plants growing at intermediate disturbance soil had the lowest dry matter production, probably because of the lowest available soil P and Ca contents of this soil. The highest SN was found in soils from pasture while the lowest was in soils from the intermediate area. Glomus was, in general, the most abundant genus followed by Acaulospora, Gigaspora and Scutellospora (always present in intermediates rates). The contribution of Archaeospora was the lowest; however, in some cases it was absent. AMC was higher in plant roots growing in soils from pasture but the lowest AMC was in plant roots from the intermediate area. This could be associated with the soil acidity, Al and H contents of this area which could be toxic to AMF. Mycorrhiza formation and SN appeared to be more related to the physicochemical characteristics of the soil and the host plant development to the soil successional stage. Further studies are needed in order to identify appropriate management strategies for restoration of altered lands in order to contribute to the biodiversity conservation and microbial activity of ecosystems.
Key words: Arbuscular mycorrhizae, plant succession, soil factors.