Abstract
ABSTRACT Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi play vital roles in promoting tree growth and maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem stability in subtropical forests. Phoebe bournei , a key species endemic to the subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forests of China, forms symbiosis associations with AM fungi. However, the composition and structure of AM fungal communities associated with naturally regenerated P. bournei remain insufficiently characterized. This study used Illumina MiSeq sequencing to investigate the AM fungal communities in the root and rhizosphere soil samples. In total, 305 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) belonging to four orders and seven families were uncovered within Glomeromycota. Seven and nine AM fungal genera were detected in root and rhizosphere soil samples, respectively, with Glomus being the most dominant genus in both root and rhizosphere soil samples. Moreover, the diversity of AM fungal communities varied across sampling locations in the rhizosphere soil and roots. The co-occurrence network structure of the AM fungal community in the rhizosphere soil was more complex and robust than that of the roots. Furthermore, soil properties, latitude, and altitude influenced the changes in AM fungal α-diversity and the relative abundance of genera in roots and rhizosphere soil to varying degrees. Overall, our findings highlight the pivotal role of soil properties over geographical variables in explaining variations in the AM fungal community structure, with soil properties—particularly total phosphorus and total nitrogen—markedly driving the AM fungal community structure in the rhizosphere soil and roots of naturally regenerated P. bournei seedlings. IMPORTANCE Although subtropical forest ecosystems harbor rich arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal resources, insights into their communities in the rhizosphere of Phoebe bournei remain limited. This study investigates the composition and key drivers of AM fungi communities in the rhizosphere soil and roots of naturally regenerated P. bournei seedlings in Guizhou, subtropical China. The findings deepen the understanding of the potential of AM fungi in supporting the establishment and growth of mycorrhizal plants, as well as maintaining the diversity, productivity, and stability of subtropical forest ecosystems. Moreover, this study provides valuable insights into the selection and application of AM fungi resources in mycorrhizal seedling cultivation and afforestation of P. bournei .
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Claims 11
Claim · model-written summary
The study uncovered 305 Glomeromycota OTUs across four orders and seven families.
- Taxon
- GlomeromycotaGlomeromycotae0
- Interactor
- Phoebe bourneiPhoebe bourneit0host
- Outcome
- operational taxonomic units (OTUs)e0
- Value
- 305e0
- Qualifier
- belonging to four orders and seven familiese0
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“In total, 305 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) belonging to four orders and seven families were uncovered within Glomeromycota.”
t0“Phoebe bournei”
Claim · model-written summary
Seven AM fungal genera were detected in roots.
- Taxon
- AM fungale0
- Organ / stage
- roote0
- Interactor
- Phoebe bourneiPhoebe bourneit0host
- Outcome
- generae0
- Value
- Sevene0
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“Seven and nine AM fungal genera were detected in root and rhizosphere soil samples, respectively”
t0“Phoebe bournei”
Claim · model-written summary
Nine AM fungal genera were detected in rhizosphere soil.
- Taxon
- AM fungale0
- Interactor
- Phoebe bourneiPhoebe bourneit0host
- Outcome
- generae0
- Value
- ninee0
- Setting
- rhizosphere soile0
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“Seven and nine AM fungal genera were detected in root and rhizosphere soil samples, respectively”
t0“Phoebe bournei”
Claim · model-written summary
Glomus was the most dominant genus in roots and rhizosphere soil.
- Organ / stage
- roote0
- Interactor
- Phoebe bourneiPhoebe bourneit0host
- Outcome
- most dominant genuse0
- Direction
- most dominante0
- Setting
- rhizosphere soile0
GlomusOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Glomus being the most dominant genus in both root and rhizosphere soil samples.”
t0“Phoebe bournei”
Claim · model-written summary
AM fungal diversity varied among root and rhizosphere sampling locations.
- Taxon
- AM fungale0
- Organ / stage
- rootse0
- Interactor
- Phoebe bourneiPhoebe bourneit0host
- Outcome
- diversity of AM fungal communitiese0
- Setting
- sampling locationse0
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“the diversity of AM fungal communities varied across sampling locations in the rhizosphere soil and roots.”
t0“Phoebe bournei”
Claim · model-written summary
Rhizosphere AM fungal co-occurrence networks were more complex and robust than root networks.
Verbatim
e0“The co-occurrence network structure of the AM fungal community in the rhizosphere soil was more complex and robust than that of the roots.”
t0“Phoebe bournei”
Claim · model-written summary
Soil properties related to AM fungal alpha diversity and genus relative abundance in roots and rhizosphere soil.
- Taxon
- AM fungale0
- Interactor
- Phoebe bourneiPhoebe bourneit0host
- Outcome
- AM fungal α-diversity and the relative abundance of generae0
- Qualifier
- to varying degreese0
- Setting
- soil propertiese0
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“soil properties, latitude, and altitude influenced the changes in AM fungal α-diversity and the relative abundance of genera in roots and rhizosphere soil to varying degrees.”
t0“Phoebe bournei”
Claim · model-written summary
Latitude related to AM fungal alpha diversity and genus relative abundance in roots and rhizosphere soil.
- Taxon
- AM fungale0
- Interactor
- Phoebe bourneiPhoebe bourneit0host
- Outcome
- AM fungal α-diversity and the relative abundance of generae0
- Qualifier
- to varying degreese0
- Setting
- latitudee0
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“soil properties, latitude, and altitude influenced the changes in AM fungal α-diversity and the relative abundance of genera in roots and rhizosphere soil to varying degrees.”
t0“Phoebe bournei”
Claim · model-written summary
Altitude related to AM fungal alpha diversity and genus relative abundance in roots and rhizosphere soil.
- Taxon
- AM fungale0
- Interactor
- Phoebe bourneiPhoebe bourneit0host
- Outcome
- AM fungal α-diversity and the relative abundance of generae0
- Qualifier
- to varying degreese0
- Setting
- altitudee0
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“soil properties, latitude, and altitude influenced the changes in AM fungal α-diversity and the relative abundance of genera in roots and rhizosphere soil to varying degrees.”
t0“Phoebe bournei”
Claim · model-written summary
Soil properties were more important than geographical variables in explaining fungal community structure variation.
- Taxon
- AM fungale0
- Interactor
- Phoebe bourneiPhoebe bourneit0host
- Outcome
- variations in the AM fungal community structuree0
- Comparator
- geographical variablese0
- Setting
- soil propertiese0
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“our findings highlight the pivotal role of soil properties over geographical variables in explaining variations in the AM fungal community structure”
t0“Phoebe bournei”
Claim · model-written summary
Total phosphorus and nitrogen were highlighted as marked drivers of fungal community structure in seedling roots and rhizosphere soil.
- Taxon
- AM fungale0
- Interactor
- P. bourneiPhoebe bourneie0host
- Compound
- total phosphorus and total nitrogene0
- Outcome
- AM fungal community structuree0
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“soil properties—particularly total phosphorus and total nitrogen—markedly driving the AM fungal community structure in the rhizosphere soil and roots of naturally regenerated P. bournei seedlings.”