Fungal and bacterial communities in a forest relict of Pinus pseudostrobus var. coatepecensis

Abstract

Mexico is a center of diversity for the genus Pinus , with 44% of pine species being endemic to the country. Mexican pine forests are recognized as hotspots for ectomycorrhizal fungi and bacteria due to the extensive interactions that take place between microorganisms and plants in their roots. These micro-organisms play a vital role in the survival of pine species. This study aims to identify fungal and bacterial communities in a relict Mexican pine forest and evaluate the influence of soil physicochemical parameters on microbial composition. Sampling was conducted along a 145 m transect in an isolated natural relict of P. pseudostrobus var. coatepecensis , which is located within a commercial plantation of Pinus patula . A total of 18 soil samples were collected at predetermined distances along the transect, with replicated sampling points as follows: six samples at 20 cm intervals, four samples at 1 m intervals, four samples at 10 m intervals, and four samples at 25 m intervals. The results indicate that fungal composition varies even at short distances and is influenced by the C:N ratio, total carbon (C), total phosphorus (P), and total hydrogen ion concentration (H + ). Ectomycorrhizal fungi (EcM) exhibited a higher relative abundance compared to saprotrophic and pathogenic fungi. A total of 69 EcM ASVs (Amplicon Sequence Variants) were identified, being the dominant genera Tomentella, Clavulina, Suillus, Russula, and Elaphomyces . Bacterial communities did not show significant variation in relation to the distance from the sampling points, but soil pH was identified as the main factor of bacterial composition. Dominant bacterial genera included Burkholderia, Bryobacter, Aci-dobacterium, and Acidothermus . Additionally, it was observed that current soil conditions influenced β diversity. Overall, the results demonstrate that soil fungal and bacterial communities associated with P. pseudostrobus exhibit a unique composition compared to other natural forest systems in the Neotrop-ics