Two new Russula species (fungi) from dry dipterocarp forest in Thailand suggest niche specialization to this habitat type.

Dry dipterocarp forests are among the most common habitat types in Thailand. Russulaceae are known as common ectomycorrhizal symbionts of Dipterocarpaceae trees in this type of habitat. The present study aims to identify collections of Russula subsection Amoeninae Buyck from dry dipterocarp forests in Thailand. A multi-locus phylogenetic analysis placed Thai Amoeninae collections in two novel lineages, and they are described here as R. bellissima sp. nov. and R. luteonana sp. nov. The closest identified relatives of both species were sequestrate species suggesting that they may belong to drought-adapted lineages. An analysis of publicly available ITS sequences in R. subsect. Amoeninae did not confirm evidence of any of the new species occurring in other Asian regions, indicating that dry dipterocarp forests might harbor a novel community of ectomycorrhizal fungi. Macromorphological characters are variable and are not totally reliable for distinguishing the new species from other previously described Asian Amoeninae species. Both new species are defined by a combination of differentiated micromorphological characteristics in spore ornamentation, hymenial cystidia and hyphal terminations in the pileipellis. The new Amoeninae species may correspond to some Russula species collected for consumption in Thailand, and the detailed description of the new species can be used for better identification of edible species and food safety in the region.

Four new species of Russula subsection Roseinae from tropical montane forests in western Panama.

Species of the genus Russula are key components of ectomycorrhizal ecosystems worldwide. Nevertheless, their diversity in the tropics is still poorly known. This study aims to contribute to the knowledge of the diversity of Russula species classified in subsection Roseinae based on specimens recently collected in tropical montane rainforests in western Panama. A five gene multilocus phylogeny based on the nuclear markers ITS nrDNA, MCM7, RPB1, RPB2 and TEF-1α was constructed to identify the systematic position of 22 collections from Panama. Four new species, Russula cornicolor, Russula cynorhodon, Russula oreomunneae and Russula zephyrovelutipes are formally described and illustrated. None of the four species are sister species and they are more closely related to North American or Asian species. Two of the newly described species were associated with the ectomycorrhizal tree species Oreomunnea mexicana, while the other two species were associated with Quercus species. All four species are so far only known from mountains in western Panama.

Above- and belowground biodiversity jointly tighten the P cycle in agricultural grasslands.

Experiments showed that biodiversity increases grassland productivity and nutrient exploitation, potentially reducing fertiliser needs. Enhancing biodiversity could improve P-use efficiency of grasslands, which is beneficial given that rock-derived P fertilisers are expected to become scarce in the future. Here, we show in a biodiversity experiment that more diverse plant communities were able to exploit P resources more completely than less diverse ones. In the agricultural grasslands that we studied, management effects either overruled or modified the driving role of plant diversity observed in the biodiversity experiment. Nevertheless, we show that greater above- (plants) and belowground (mycorrhizal fungi) biodiversity contributed to tightening the P cycle in agricultural grasslands, as reduced management intensity and the associated increased biodiversity fostered the exploitation of P resources. Our results demonstrate that promoting a high above- and belowground biodiversity has ecological (biodiversity protection) and economical (fertiliser savings) benefits. Such win-win situations for farmers and biodiversity are crucial to convince farmers of the benefits of biodiversity and thus counteract global biodiversity loss.

Differential Responses of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal Communities to Long-Term Fertilization in the Wheat Rhizosphere and Root Endosphere.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) provide essential nutrients to crops and are critically impacted by fertilization in agricultural ecosystems. Understanding shifts in AMF communities in and around crop roots under different fertilization regimes can provide important lessons for improving agricultural production and sustainability. Here, we compared the responses of AMF communities in the rhizosphere (RS) and root endosphere (ES) of wheat (Triticum aestivum) to different fertilization treatments, nonfertilization (control), mineral fertilization only (NPK), mineral fertilization plus wheat straw (NPKS), and mineral fertilization plus cow manure (NPKM). We employed high-throughput amplicon sequencing and investigated the diversity, community composition, and network structure of AMF communities to assess their responses to fertilization. Our results elucidated that AMF communities in the RS and ES respond differently to fertilization schemes. Long-term NPK application decreased the RS AMF alpha diversity significantly, whereas additional organic amendments (straw or manure) had no effect. In contrast, NPK fertilization increased the ES AMF alpha diversity significantly, while additional organic amendments decreased it significantly. The effect of different fertilization schemes on AMF network complexity in the RS and ES were similar to their effects on alpha diversity. Changes to AMF communities in the RS and ES correlated mainly with the pH and phosphorus level of the rhizosphere soil under long-term inorganic and organic fertilization regimes. We suggest that the AMF community in the roots should be given more consideration when studying the effects of fertilization regimes on AMF in agroecosystems. IMPORTANCE Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are an integral component of rhizospheres, bridging the soil and plant systems and are highly sensitive to fertilization. However, surprisingly little is known about how the response differs between the roots and the surrounding soil. Decreasing arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal diversity under fertilization has been reported, implying a potential reduction in the mutualism between plants and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. However, we found opposing responses to long-term fertilization managements of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the wheat roots and rhizosphere soil. These results suggested that changes in the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal community in soils do not reflect those in the roots, highlighting that the root arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal community is pertinent to understand arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and their crop hosts' responses to anthropogenic influences.

Fungal diversity driven by bark features affects phorophyte preference in epiphytic orchids from southern China.

Epiphytic orchids exhibit varying degrees of phorophyte tree specificity. We performed a pilot study to investigate why epiphytic orchids prefer or avoid certain trees. We selected two orchid species, Panisea uniflora and Bulbophyllum odoratissimum co-occurring in a forest habitat in southern China, where they showed a specific association with Quercus yiwuensis and Pistacia weinmannifolia trees, respectively. We analysed a number of environmental factors potentially influencing the relationship between orchids and trees. Difference in bark features, such as water holding capacity and pH were recorded between Q. yiwuensis and P. weinmannifolia, which could influence both orchid seed germination and fungal diversity on the two phorophytes. Morphological and molecular culture-based methods, combined with metabarcoding analyses, were used to assess fungal communities associated with studied orchids and trees. A total of 162 fungal species in 74 genera were isolated from bark samples. Only two genera, Acremonium and Verticillium, were shared by the two phorophyte species. Metabarcoding analysis confirmed the presence of significantly different fungal communities on the investigated tree and orchid species, with considerable similarity between each orchid species and its host tree, suggesting that the orchid-host tree association is influenced by the fungal communities of the host tree bark.

The ectomycorrhizal community of urban linden trees in Gdansk, Poland.

The linden tree (Tilia spp.) is a popular tree for landscaping and urban environments in central and northwest European countries, and it is one of the most popular in cities in Poland. Ectomycorrhizal fungi form a symbiosis with many urban tree species and protect the host plant from heavy metals and against salinity. The aim of this study was to characterise the ECM fungal community of urban linden trees along the tree damage gradient. The study was performed on two sites located in the centre of the city of Gdansk, in northern Poland. The vitality assessment of urban linden trees was made according to Roloff's classification. Tree damage classes were related to soil characteristics using principal component analysis. The five ectomycorrhizal fungal species were shared among all four tree damage classes, and Cenococcum geophilum was found to be the most abundant and frequent ectomycorrhizal fungal species in each class. Soil samples collected in the vicinity of trees belonging to the R0 class had significantly lower pH Na, Cl and Pb content than other soils. Our knowledge of ectomycorrhizal communities in urban areas is still limited, and these findings provide new insights into ectomycorrhizal distribution patterns in urban areas.

Diversity and community structure of ectomycorrhizal fungi in Pinus thunbergii coastal forests bordering the Yellow Sea of China.

Ectomycorrhizas play a fundamental role in the function of forest ecosystems, being essential for plant nutrition absorption and soil quality. Many afforestation and reforestation programmes have begun to recover and maintain coastal forests in China, using pine species including Pinus thunbergii. We investigated the ectomycorrhizal colonization status of P. thunbergii in coastal pine forests of the Yellow Sea of China. We identified a total of 53 ectomycorrhizal fungal species in 74 soil samples collected from three sites and found that Thelephoraceae (10 spp.) and Russulaceae (8 spp.) were the most species-rich ectomycorrhizal fungal lineages. Russula sp. 1 was the most abundant species, accounting for 15.3% of the total ectomycorrhizal tips identified. Most of the remaining species were rare. At this small scale, host identity had no significant effect on the ectomycorrhizal fungal community composition (A = 0.036, P = 0.258), but sampling sites did (A = 0.135, P = 0.041). In addition, Na+ and K+ content and soil pH had significant effects on the ectomycorrhizal fungal community. The ectomycorrhizal fungal community associated with different host plants will become an important new direction for research, as ectomycorrhiza may have the potential to improve host capacity to establish in salt-stressed environments. This will provide a theoretical basis and technical support for saline soil reforestation and rehabilitation using pine species with compatible, native ectomycorrhizal fungi in Yellow Sea coastal areas.

Propagation and characterization of viable arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal spores within maize plant (Zea mays L.).

BACKGROUND: The harmful effect of chemical fertilizer application on human health and the environment as a modern method of meeting the food demand of the increasing world population demands an urgent alternative that is environmentally friendly, which will pose no harm to human health and the environment. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are beneficial soil microorganisms that provide various ecological functions in increasing soil fertility and enhancing plant growth. This present study aimed to propagate, characterize and examine the effect of viable arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal spores on maize (Zea mays L) hosts using molecular methods. The propagation of AMF in the host plant using sterile soil and vermiculite was conducted in the greenhouse. RESULT: The effect of AMF inoculation revealed a significant difference (P > 0.05) in maize growth, root colonization and AMF spore count when compared with the control. In all the parameters measured in this study, all the AMF spores propagated had a positive effect on the maize plant over the control, with the highest value mostly recorded in Rhizophagus irregularis AOB1. The molecular characterization of the spore using a specific universal primer for Glomeromycota established the success of the propagation process, which enhanced the classification of the AMF species into Rhizophagus irregularis OAB1, Glomus mosseae OAB2 and Paraglomus occultum OAB3. CONCLUSION: This finding will be a starting point in producing arbuscular mycorrhizal inoculum as a biofertilizer to enhance plant growth promotion. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Microbial community associated with ectomycorrhizal Russula symbiosis and dominated nature areas in southern China.

Russula griseocarnosa is one of the uncultivable important mycorrhizal edible fungi. Currently, there is a limited insight into the dynamic composition of the microbial communities associated with Russula. Here, the microbiota in the root and mycorrhizosphere from Russula-Fagaceae nature areas of Fujian province were identified by Illumina MiSeq high-throughput sequencing. First, we compared three types of fungal communities associated with Russula-Fagaceae root mycelia-running stage (stage-1), Russula sporocarping stage-2 (stage-2) and Russula-free Fagaceae root (stage-3). Fungal diversity negatively correlated with Russula. Russula, Tomentella and Lactarius were core EcM in Fagaceae roots. A total of eight genera, including Boletus, are likely a positive indicator of Russula sporocarp production in Russula-Fagaceae roots, while Tomentella and Elaphomyces for Russula symbiosis. Secondly, analysis of fungal and bacterial communities within rhizosphere soils from the three stages revealed six genera, including Dacryobolus and Acidocella, as possible indicator species associated with sporocarping in Russula. Elaphomyces, Tomentella, Sorangium, Acidicaldus, Acidobacterium and Haliangium occurred more frequently in the Russula rhizosphere. Furthermore, operational taxonomic unit (OTU) network analysis showed a positive correlation between Russula,Tomentella, Elaphomyces and Sorangium. Overall, our results revealed a relationship between micro-community and Russula, which may provide a new strategy for improving Russula symbiosis and sporocarp production.

Insufficient sampling constrains our characterization of plant microbiomes.

Plants host diverse microbial communities, but there is little consensus on how we sample these communities, and this has unknown consequences. Using root and leaf tissue from showy milkweed (Asclepias speciosa), we compared two common sampling strategies: (1) homogenizing after subsampling (30 mg), and (2) homogenizing bulk tissue before subsampling (30 mg). We targeted bacteria, arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and non-AM fungi in roots, and foliar fungal endophytes (FFE) in leaves. We further extracted DNA from all of the leaf tissue collected to determine the extent of undersampling of FFE, and sampled FFE twice across the season using strategy one to assess temporal dynamics. All microbial groups except AM fungi differed in composition between the two sampling strategies. Community overlap increased when rare taxa were removed, but FFE and bacterial communities still differed between strategies, with largely non-overlapping communities within individual plants. Increasing the extraction mass 10 × increased FFE richness ~ 10 ×, confirming the severe undersampling indicated in the sampling comparisons. Still, seasonal patterns in FFEs were apparent, suggesting that strong drivers are identified despite severe undersampling. Our findings highlight that current sampling practices poorly characterize many microbial groups, and increased sampling intensity is necessary for increase reproducibility and to identify subtler patterns in microbial distributions.

The first eleven mitochondrial genomes from the ectomycorrhizal fungal genus (Boletus) reveal intron loss and gene rearrangement.

In the present study, eleven novel complete mitogenomes of Boletus were assembled and compared. The eleven complete mitogenomes were all composed of circular DNA molecules, with sizes ranging from 32,883 bp to 48,298 bp. The mitochondrial gene arrangement of Boletus varied greatly from other Boletales mitogenomes, and gene position reversal were observed frequently in the evolution of Boletus. Across the 15 core protein-coding genes (PCGs) tested, atp9 had the least and rps3 had the largest genetic distances among the eleven Boletus species, indicating varied evolution rates of core PCGs. In addition, the Ka/Ks value for nad3 gene was >1, suggesting that this gene was subject to possible positive selection pressure. Comparative mitogenomic analysis indicated that the intronic region was significantly correlated with the size of mitogenomes in Boletales. Two large-scale intron loss events were detected in the evolution of Boletus. Phylogenetic analyses based on a combined mitochondrial gene dataset yielded a well-supported (BPP ≥ 0.99; BS =100) phylogenetic tree for 72 Agaricomycetes, and the Boletus species had a close relationship with Paxillus. This study served as the first report on complete mitogenomes in Boletus, which will further promote investigations of the genetics, evolution and phylogeny of the Boletus genus.

New species of Tulasnella associated with Australian terrestrial orchids in the Cryptostylidinae and Drakaeinae.

Many orchids have an obligate relationship with Tulasnella mycorrhizal fungi for seed germination and support into adulthood. Despite the importance of Tulasnella as mycorrhizal partners, many species remain undescribed. Here, we use multiple sequence locus phylogenetic analyses to delimit and describe six new Tulasnella species associated with Australian terrestrial orchids from the subtribes Cryptostylidinae and Drakaeinae. Five of the new species, Tulasnella australiensis, T. occidentalis, T. punctata, T. densa, and T. concentrica, all associate with Cryptostylis (Cryptostylidinae), whereas T. rosea associates with Spiculaea ciliata (Drakaeinae). Isolates representing T. australiensis were previously also reported in association with Arthrochilus (Drakaeinae). All newly described Tulasnella species were delimited by phylogenetic analyses of four loci (nuc rDNA internal transcribed spacer region ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 [ITS], C14436 [ATP synthase], C4102 [glutamate synthase], and mt 16S rDNA [mtLSU]). The pairwise sequence divergence between species for the ITS region ranged from 5.6% to 25.2%, and the maximum sequence divergence within the newly described species ranged from 1.64% to 4.97%. There was a gap in the distribution of within- and between-species pairwise divergences in the region of 4-6%, with only one within-species value of 4.97% (for two T. australiensis isolates) and one between-species value of 5.6% (involving an isolate of T. occidentalis) falling within this region. Based on fluorescence staining, all six new Tulasnella species are binucleate and have septate, cylindrical hyphae. There was some subtle variation in culture morphology, but colony diameter as measured on 3MN+vitamin medium after 6 wk of growth did not differ among species. However, T. australiensis grew significantly (P < 0.02) slower than others on ½ FIM and » potato dextrose agar (PDA) media. Formal description of these Tulasnella species contributes significantly to documentation of Tulasnella diversity and provides names and delimitations to underpin further research on the fungi and their relationships with orchids.

The Response of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal Communities to the Soil Environment of Underground Mining Subsidence Area in Northwest China.

Fully mechanized mining technology applied over a very large working face is typically utilized for coal exploitation in Northwest China and triggered two types of land subsidence above the goaf edge and center. However, the effects of mining subsidence on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) communities are still unknown. Here, we investigated the soil physicochemical properties and the response of AMF communities to the soil environment at the margin and center of the subsidence area of the same working face. Our results showed the soil water content, nutrient content and enzyme activity were significantly decreased with land desertification at the margin of the subsidence area but were less affected at the subsidence center. Utilizing high-throughput sequence analysis, six Glomeromycotan genera were detected. The relative abundance of Glomus and Ambispora at the margin of the subsidence area decreased, while Paraglomus and Diversispora increased. The total OTU richness was significantly correlated with moisture. Redundancy analysis showed the main environmental factors driving the changes in AMF community structure were available nitrogen, available potassium and available phosphorus. All these results indicated land cracks need to be repaired in time at subsidence edge to prevent the decline of soil fertility.

High-throughput sequencing analysis of the rhizosphere arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) community composition associated with Ferula sinkiangensis.

BACKGROUND: Ferula sinkiangensis is an increasingly endangered medicinal plant. Arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF) are symbiotic microorganisms that live in the soil wherein they enhance nutrient uptake, stress resistance, and pathogen defense in host plants. While such AMF have the potential to contribute to the cultivation of Ferula sinkiangensis, the composition of AMF communities associated with Ferula sinkiangensis and the relationship between these fungi and other pertinent abiotic factors still remains to be clarified. RESULTS: Herein, we collected rhizosphere and surrounding soil samples at a range of depths (0-20, 20-40, and 40-60 cm) and a range of slope positions (bottom, middle, top). These samples were then subjected to analyses of soil physicochemical properties and high-throughput sequencing (Illumina MiSeq). We determined that Glomus and Diversispora species were highly enriched in all samples. We further found that AMF diversity and richness varied significantly as a function of slope position, with this variation primarily being tied to differences in relative Glomus and Diversispora abundance. In contrast, no significant relationship was observed between soil depth and overall AMF composition, although some AMF species were found to be sensitive to soil depth. Many factors significantly affected AMF community composition, including organic matter content, total nitrogen, total potassium, ammonium nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, available potassium, total dissolvable salt levels, pH, soil water content, and slope position. We further determined that Shannon diversity index values in these communities were positively correlated with total phosphorus, nitrate-nitrogen levels, and pH values (P < 0.05), whereas total phosphorus, total dissolvable salt levels, and pH were positively correlated with Chao1 values (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: In summary, our data revealed that Glomus and Diversispora are key AMF genera found within Ferula sinkiangensis rhizosphere soil. These fungi are closely associated with specific environmental and soil physicochemical properties, and these soil sample properties also differed significantly as a function of slope position (P < 0.05). Together, our results provide new insights regarding the relationship between AMF species and Ferula sinkiangensis, offering a theoretical basis for further studies of their development.

A dataset of plant and microbial community structure after long-term grazing and mowing in a semiarid steppe.

Grazing and mowing are two dominant management regimes used in grasslands. Although many studies have focused on the effects of grazing intensity on plant community structure, far fewer test how grazing impacts the soil microbial community. Furthermore, the effects of long-term grazing and mowing on plant and microbial community structure are poorly understood. To elucidate how these management regimes affect plant and microbial communities, we collected data from 280 quadrats in a semiarid steppe after 12-year of grazing and mowing treatments. We measured plant species abundance, height, coverage, plant species diversity, microbial biomass, and microbial community composition (G+ and G- bacteria; arbuscular mycorrhizal and saprotrophic fungi; G+/G- and Fungi/Bacteria). In addition, we determined the soil's physical and chemical properties, including soil hardness, moisture, pH, organic carbon, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus. This is a long-term and multifactorial dataset with plant, soil, and microbial attributes which can be used to answer questions regarding the mechanisms of sustainable grassland management in terms of plant and microbial community structure.

Large-scale genome sequencing of mycorrhizal fungi provides insights into the early evolution of symbiotic traits.

Mycorrhizal fungi are mutualists that play crucial roles in nutrient acquisition in terrestrial ecosystems. Mycorrhizal symbioses arose repeatedly across multiple lineages of Mucoromycotina, Ascomycota, and Basidiomycota. Considerable variation exists in the capacity of mycorrhizal fungi to acquire carbon from soil organic matter. Here, we present a combined analysis of 135 fungal genomes from 73 saprotrophic, endophytic and pathogenic species, and 62 mycorrhizal species, including 29 new mycorrhizal genomes. This study samples ecologically dominant fungal guilds for which there were previously no symbiotic genomes available, including ectomycorrhizal Russulales, Thelephorales and Cantharellales. Our analyses show that transitions from saprotrophy to symbiosis involve (1) widespread losses of degrading enzymes acting on lignin and cellulose, (2) co-option of genes present in saprotrophic ancestors to fulfill new symbiotic functions, (3) diversification of novel, lineage-specific symbiosis-induced genes, (4) proliferation of transposable elements and (5) divergent genetic innovations underlying the convergent origins of the ectomycorrhizal guild.

Molecular evidence supports simultaneous association of the achlorophyllous orchid Chamaegastrodia inverta with ectomycorrhizal Ceratobasidiaceae and Russulaceae.

BACKGROUND: Achlorophyllous orchids are mycoheterotrophic plants, which lack photosynthetic ability and associate with fungi to acquire carbon from different environmental sources. In tropical latitudes, achlorophyllous forest orchids show a preference to establish mycorrhizal relationships with saprotrophic fungi. However, a few of them have been recently found to associate with ectomycorrhizal fungi and there is still much to be learned about the identity of fungi associated with tropical orchids. The present study focused on mycorrhizal diversity in the achlorophyllous orchid C. inverta, an endangered species, which is endemic to southern China. The aim of this work was to identify the main mycorrhizal partners of C. inverta in different plant life stages, by means of morphological and molecular methods. RESULTS: Microscopy showed that the roots of analysed C. inverta samples were extensively colonized by fungal hyphae forming pelotons in root cortical cells. Fungal ITS regions were amplified by polymerase chain reaction, from DNA extracted from fungal mycelia isolated from orchid root samples, as well as from total root DNA. Molecular sequencing and phylogenetic analyses showed that the investigated orchid primarily associated with ectomycorrhizal fungi belonging to a narrow clade within the family Ceratobasidiaceae, which was previously detected in a few fully mycoheterotrophic orchids and was also found to show ectomycorrhizal capability on trees and shrubs. Russulaceae fungal symbionts, showing high similarity with members of the ectomycorrhizal genus Russula, were also identified from the roots of C. inverta, at young seedling stage. Ascomycetous fungi including Chaetomium, Diaporthe, Leptodontidium, and Phomopsis genera, and zygomycetes in the genus Mortierella were obtained from orchid root isolated strains with unclear functional role. CONCLUSIONS: This study represents the first assessment of root fungal diversity in the rare, cryptic and narrowly distributed Chinese orchid C. inverta. Our results provide new insights on the spectrum of orchid-fungus symbiosis suggesting an unprecedented mixed association between the studied achlorophyllous forest orchid and ectomycorrhizal fungi belonging to Ceratobasidiaceae and Russulaceae. Ceratobasidioid fungi as dominant associates in the roots of C. inverta represent a new record of the rare association between the identified fungal group and fully mycoheterotrophic orchids in nature.

Impact of land use history on the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal diversity in arid soils of Argentinean farming fields.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are a key soil functional group, with an important potential to increase crop productivity and sustainable agriculture including food security. However, there is clear evidence that land uses, crop rotations and soil features affect the AMF diversity and their community functioning in many agroecosystems. So far, the information related to AMF biodiversity in ecosystems like the Argentinean Puna, an arid high plateau where plants experience high abiotic stresses, is still scarce. In this work, we investigated morphological and molecular AMF diversity in soils of native corn, bean and native potato Andean crops, under a familiar land use, in Chaupi Rodeo (Jujuy, Argentina), without agrochemical supplements but with different histories of crop rotation. Our results showed that AMF morphological diversity was not only high and variable among the three different crop soils but also complemented by Illumina MiSeq data. The multivariate analyses highlighted that total fungal diversity is significantly affected by the preceding crop plants and the rotation histories, more than from the present crop species, while AMF communities are significantly affected by preceding crop only in combination with the effect of nitrogen and calcium soil concentration. This knowledge will give useful information on appropriate familiar farming.

The endangered Hastings River mouse (Pseudomys oralis) as a disperser of ectomycorrhizal fungi in eastern Australia.

Rodents are the most widespread and diverse order of vertebrate mycophagists and are key to the dispersal of mycorrhizal fungi. Rodents consume and subsequently disperse fungi through their feces on every continent except Antarctica. This study examines the fungal taxa consumed by the Hastings River mouse (Pseudomys oralis), an endangered Australian endemic rodent from the family Muridae. We analyzed 251 fecal samples collected over a 19-year period between 1993 and 2012 at sites throughout the distribution of the animal in New South Wales and Queensland. We show that at least 16 genera of mycorrhizal fungi are eaten by this species and that it is therefore playing an important role as a vector of ectomycorrhizal truffle-like fungi in eastern Australia. Similar to the fungal diets of other mammals in eastern Australia, seasonal fungal consumption was greatest in autumn and winter. The dietary diversity of P. oralis also appeared to follow a geographic trend from south to north; samples collected at sites in the southern part of the species' range had greater diversity than those from sites in the northern part of the range, and overall, diets from southern sites yielded more fungal taxa than did northern sites. This study provides novel insights into the diet of P. oralis and highlights the importance of previously overlooked ecosystem services this species provides through its dispersal of mycorrhizal fungi.

Into the wild blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) rhizosphere microbiota.

The ability of wild blueberries to adapt to their harsh environment is believed to be closely related to their symbiosis with ericoid mycorrhizal fungi, which produce enzymes capable of organic matter mineralization. Although some of these fungi have been identified and characterized, we still know little about the microbial ecology of wild blueberry. Our study aims to characterize the fungal and bacterial rhizosphere communities of Vaccinium angustifolium (the main species encountered in wild blueberry fields). Our results clearly show that the fungal order Helotiales was the most abundant taxon associated with V. angustifolium. Helotiales contains most of the known ericoid mycorrhizal fungi which are expected to dominate in such a biotope. Furthermore, we found the dominant bacterial order was the nitrogen-fixing Rhizobiales. The Bradyrhizobium genus, whose members are known to form nodules with legumes, was among the 10 most abundant genera in the bacterial communities. In addition, Bradyrhizobium and Roseiarcus sequences significantly correlated with higher leaf-nitrogen content. Overall, our data documented fungal and bacterial community structure differences in three wild blueberry production fields.