Open AccessInfluence of host species on ectomycorrhizal communities associated with two co‐occurring oaks ( Quercus spp.) in a tropical cloud forest
Author(s) -
Morris Melissa H.,
PérezPérez Miguel A.,
Smith Matthew E.,
Bledsoe Caroline S.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
fems microbiology ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.377
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1574-6941
pISSN - 0168-6496
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6941.2009.00704.x
Subject(s) - biology , cloud forest , evergreen , ecology , deciduous , host (biology) , temperate rainforest , ectomycorrhiza , internal transcribed spacer , mycorrhiza , botany , ecosystem , symbiosis , montane ecology , ribosomal rna , biochemistry , gene , genetics , bacteria
Interactions between host tree species and ectomycorrhizal fungi are important in structuring ectomycorrhizal communities, but there are only a few studies on host influence of congeneric trees. We investigated ectomycorrhizal community assemblages on roots of deciduous Quercus crassifolia and evergreen Quercus laurina in a tropical montane cloud forest, one of the most endangered tropical forest ecosystems. Ectomycorrhizal fungi were identified by sequencing internal transcribed spacer and partial 28S rRNA gene. We sampled 80 soil cores and documented high ectomycorrhizal diversity with a total of 154 taxa. Canonical correspondence analysis indicated that oak host was significant in explaining some of the variation in ectomycorrhizal communities, despite the fact that the two Quercus species belong to the same red oak lineage (section Lobatae ). A Tuber species, found in 23% of the soil cores, was the most frequent taxon. Similar to oak‐dominated ectomycorrhizal communities in temperate forests, Thelephoraceae, Russulaceae and Sebacinales were diverse and dominant.