Diversity of arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi in roots of giant miscanthus (Miscanthus × giganteus) and prairie cordgrass (Spartina pectinata) cultivated on heavy metal-contaminated areas

Abstract

The use of indigenous AMF species from heavy metal contaminated areas can be a promising tool to support the phytostabilisation of such areas. The aim of the study was to evaluate the AMF species diversity in the roots of the perennial energy grasses Miscanthus × giganteus and Spartina pectinata grown in areas with different levels of heavy metal contamination with regard to the potential use of the dominant AMF species to support phytostabilisation of soils contaminated with Pb, Cd and Zn. Samples were taken from two sites with different levels of Pb, Cd and Zn contamination and from an uncontaminated site as a control. The AMF colonisation of the roots of Miscanthus × giganteus and Spartina pectinata was investigated. The composition of AMF species in the plant roots was determined by sequencing the D2 region of the LSU rDNA of Glomeromycota. Soil contamination had a significant effect on the composition of AMF communities in the roots. Diversispora and Claroideoglomus were the predominant genera in the communities in the heavily heavy metal contaminated area. The AMF communities at moderately contaminated and uncontaminated areas showed a similar structure, with Rhizoglomus as the dominant genus. Species such as Palaeospora spainiae, Rhizoglomus silesianum, Septoglomus sp., Septoglomus nigrum, Ambispora sp., Claroideoglomus etunicatum and Diversispora sp3. were identified exclusively in the roots of Miscanthus × giganteus and Spartina pectinata grown in contaminated areas. They could potentially be used to support phytostabilisation of areas contaminated with Pb, Cd and Zn, but further studies are needed.