Molecular diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal in China

Abstract:

[Background] With cost reductions for DNA next generation sequencing, researchers have readily utilized these tools to identify taxonomic diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). Globally, the molecular diversity and distribution of AMF in the world has attracted attention, whilst there has been little research on the molecular diversity of AMF at the regional scale in China. [Objective] We characterized the molecular diversity and distribution of AMF in China at different ecosystems (grassland, human-made, forest), climatic regions (temperate, subtropical, polar), and localized sampling strategy (DNA from roots or soil). [Methods] Based on Davison’s AMF global database (2015), and supplemented some data published after 2015, a new AMF database was established on the molecular diversity at the regional scale in China. [Results] A total of 145 virtual taxa (VT) identified, belonging to 8 families and 12 genera. For ecosystems, the molecular richness of AMF in the grassland ecosystem was the highest, accounting for 60.7% of the total VT, with the human-made ecosystem and forest ecosystem also reached 55.2% and 43.4%, respectively. Similarly, the species richness of VTs in AMF also varies with the climatic region, with the highest percentage in the temperate climate (64.1%), followed by the subtropical climate (60.7%), and least in the polar climate (20.7%). VT richness of AMF was also influenced by sampling fractions from roots and soil, with richness of AMF found in root samples (80.0%) was higher than that of AMF in soil (48.3%). [Conclusion] China has high AMF molecular diversity as quantified by species richness, at different climatic regions, ecosystems, and sampling strategy at the regional and localized scale.