Gypsum (CaSO4) soils constitute extreme habitats for plant life and give rise to a diverse set of plants species, many of which are endemic to the unique substrate. Plants have symbiotic relationships with complex fungal communities that live inside healthy plant tissues including roots, stems, and leaves. Little is known about fungal endophytes or mycorrhizal fungi in plants growing in stressful habitats such as gypsum soils. New Mexico is well known for its extensive deposits of exposed gypsum, which harbor a number of endemic plant species. The main goal of this research was to investigate the diversity of fungal endophytes associated with nine gypsophilic plant species collected at the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge.
Results/Conclusions
Culturable fungal communities were identified using nrITS fungal specific primers. All plant taxa were colonized by a mixed community of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, dark septate fungi and hyaline endophytes (25-75% of the root length). Root-associated fungi were closely related to endophytes previously reported in semiarid grasses in New Mexico and Utah. Analyses of culturable fungi revealed that root and leaf communities are dominated by fungi within the order Pleosporales. However, roots and leaves harbor distinct fungal assemblages. Alternaria and Preussia dominate in the leaves and endophytes closely related to Monosporascus and Phoma dominate in roots.
