Taxonomic diversity and morphological types of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities symbiotic with Atlas pistachio along an aridity gradient in Algeria

Abstract

Because of the global warming threat, multidisciplinary studies of arid environment ecology are highly expected. In four populations of Atlas pistachio (Pistacia atlantica Desf.) located in Algeria along an aridity gradient, both the taxonomic diversity and the morphological types of communities of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in rhizospheric soil were assessed. AMF taxonomic richness was low in all sampled populations, with a dominance of the Glomeraceae family. The AMF morphological Arum type was identified in fine roots of all sampled individuals, and the Paris type only in those sampled in the two less arid sites. Along the increasing aridity gradient, climatic conditions would be a determining factor in the decrease of the AMF taxonomic richness within Atlas pistachio rhizospheric soils; it could also indirectly influence the expression of both morphological types (Arum and/or Paris) within Atlas pistachio fine roots.