| Abstract Detail
MSA - Ecology/Pathology Kjoller, Rasmus [1], Olsrud, Maria [1], Michelsen, Anders [1]. Co-existing ericaceous plant species in a subarctic heath community share fungal root endophytes. During the last decade, culture-independent identification tools have widened our knowledge of fungi colonizing ericaceous roots, including ericoid mycorrhizal fungi. One focal interest has been to identify fungi, which simultaneously can establish ericoid and ectomycorrhiza, while knowledge about the fungal composition of co-existing ericaceous plants is scarce. In the present study, the fungal communities in roots of four ericaceous plant species, Empetrum hermaphroditum, Andromeda polifolia, Vaccinium uliginosum and Vaccinium vitis-idaea which often dominate subarctic heathlands and mires were studied. From each of these plants, in each of five plots, clone libraries were established using fungal specific ITS-PCR followed by cloning, PCR-RFLP and sequencing.
The clone libraries were dominated by potential ericoid mycorrhizal fungi, most notably Rhizoschyphus ericae, fungi belonging to the Sebacinales group B, and Capronia-like fungi. Additionally, the results showed that while ericaceous plant species growing within the same 15 x 15 cm blocks shared a common fungal community, plots just 2-3 m away harboured a significantly different fungal community. The potential and possible functional implications of co-existing ericaceous plants being interlinked by a common mycelial network are discussed.
Log in to add this item to your schedule
1 - University of Copenhagen, Department of Biology, Oster Farimagsgade 2D, Copenhagen K, 1353 , Denmark
Keywords:
ericoid mycorrhiza.
Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Topics
Session: 52
Location: Cottonwood B/Snowbird Center
Date: Tuesday, July 28th, 2009
Time: 1:30 PM
Number: 52001
Abstract ID:544 |
