Communities of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in Stipa krylovii (Poaceae) in the Mongolian steppe

We examined arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi colonizing the roots of Stipa krylovii, a grass species dominating the grasslands of the steppe zone in Hustai and Uvurkhangai in Mongolia. The AM fungal communities of the collected S. krylovii roots were examined by molecular analysis based on the partial sequences of a small subunit of ribosomal RNA gene as well as AM fungal colonization rates. Almost all AM fungi detected were in Glomus-group A, and were divided into 10 phylotypes. Among them, one phylotype forming a clade with G. intraradices and G. irregulare was the most dominant. Furthermore, it was also found that most of the phylotypes include AM fungi previously detected in high altitude regions in the Eurasian Continent. Significant correlations were found among soil total N, total plant biomass and AM fungal colonization ratio, which suggested that higher plant biomass may be required for the proliferation of AM fungi in the environment. Meanwhile, redundancy analysis on AM fungal distribution and environmental variables suggested that the effect of plant biomass and most soil chemical properties on the AM fungal communities were not significant.

► Communities of AM fungi in Stipa krylovii were examined in Mongolian steppe.
► Many of the AM fungi were phylogenetically close to those of high altitude regions.
► The AM fungi close to Glomus intraradices were dominantly detected.·
► Total plant biomass and AM fungal colonization ratio were significantly correlated.