The role of local environment and geographical distance in determining community composition of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi at the landscape scale.

ABSTRACT: Arbuscular fungi have a major role in directing the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems yet little is known about their biogeographical distribution. The Baas-Becking hypothesis ('everything is everywhere, but, the environment selects') was tested by investigating the distribution of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) at the landscape scale and the influence of environmental factors and geographical distance in determining community composition. AMF communities in Trifolium repens and Lolium perenne roots were assessed in 40 geographically dispersed sites in Ireland representing different land uses and soil types. Field sampling and laboratory bioassays were used, with AMF communities characterised using 18S rRNA terminal-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Landscape-scale distribu

SUBMITTER: Hazard C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3578569 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature