Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi improve reestablishment of Leymus chinensis in bare saline-alkaline soil: Implication on vegetation restoration of extremely degraded land

Salinization and alkalinization are increasing problems in the world. Some land has been degraded to bare saline-alkaline soil where vegetation restoration is difficult because high toxic ionic content and pH are harmful to the survival of introduced plants. We grew Leymus chinensis with and without arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (Glomus mosseae and G. geosporum) in either pots filled with soil from bare saline-alkaline land, or transplanted seedlings into field plots, to determine the influence of AM fungi on the reestablishment of this dominant grass species in bare degraded land. Association with AM fungi increased the absorption of N, P, K+, Ca2+, but decreased Mg2+, Na+ and Cl− uptake under saline-alkaline stress. Therefore, higher K/Na, Ca/Na, P/Na, and P/Cl ratios were found in the inoculated plants. Plants inoculated with AM fungi accumulated significantly higher biomass, root/shoot ratio and tiller number than non-inoculated plants. AM fungi also significantly increased the survival of seedlings when they were transplanted into a bare saline-alkaline land in the field. The improvement of survival, growth and asexual reproduction of inoculated plants indicated that the plant-AM fungi mutualism could improve the reestablishment of vegetation in bare saline-alkaline soil, drive the vegetation restoration to a community dominated by original species.

► We grew Leymus chinensis with and without AM fungi in extremely saline-alkaline soil.
► The seedlings could be inoculated by Glomus mosseae and G. geosporum.
► Association with AM fungi increased the absorption of N, P, K+, Ca2+, but decreased Mg2+, Na+ and Cl− uptake.
► Higher K/Na, Ca/Na, P/Na, and P/Cl ratios were found in the inoculated plants.
► Inoculated plants had higher survival, biomass, root/shoot ratio and tiller number than non-inoculated plants.
► The plant-AM fungi mutualism could improve the reestablishment of vegetation in bare saline-alkaline soil.