Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi associated with coastal vegetation in Chuburna, Yucatan, Mexico

Abstract

Plant species that successfully establish in environments of recent formation, such as barrier islands, exhibit life history traits that allow them to efficiently capture nutrients and water, such ability may be largely due to interactions these plants establish with mutualistic arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). The goal of this work was to characterize plant community present at two sites, a barrier island and a coastal dune system; the influence of marine proximity against the lagoon proximity and to relate aspects of these plant communities to soil fertility and AMF presence in roots y la rhizosphere. The study was conducted at “La Carbonera” in Chuburná, Yucatan, Mexico. At each site we established transects, where we placed three 5 x 5-m plots. Within each plot we surveyed vegetation (recording present species and plant cover), collected root samples to assess AMF colonization, and collected soil samples for nutrient analyses and quantification of AMF spores in rhizosphere. We found a total of 36 plant species from 28 families, with herbaceous life form being the most common. All plant species recorded were colonized by AMF. Nonetheless, AMF spores were scarce in soil, which may be due to immediate AMF root colonization of host plants trigger by low phosphorus and nitrogen availability in soil. Our results suggest that the AMF propagules may colonize the roots since the first stages of plant establishment on sand dunes.