Changes in Diversity and Community Composition of Root Endophytic Fungi Associated with <i>Aristolochia chilensis</i> along an Aridity Gradient in the Atacama Desert
Despite the widespread occurrence of fungal endophytes (FE) in plants inhabiting arid ecosystems, the environmental and soil factors that modulate changes in FE diversity and community composition along an aridity gradient have been little explored. We studied three locations along the coast of the...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2022-06-01
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| Series: | Plants |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/11/11/1511 |
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| author | María José Guevara-Araya Víctor M. Escobedo Valeria Palma-Onetto Marcia González-Teuber |
| author_facet | María José Guevara-Araya Víctor M. Escobedo Valeria Palma-Onetto Marcia González-Teuber |
| author_sort | María José Guevara-Araya |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Despite the widespread occurrence of fungal endophytes (FE) in plants inhabiting arid ecosystems, the environmental and soil factors that modulate changes in FE diversity and community composition along an aridity gradient have been little explored. We studied three locations along the coast of the Atacama Desert in Chile, in which the plant <i>Aristolochia chilensis</i> naturally grows, and that differ in their aridity gradient from hyper-arid to semi-arid. We evaluated if root-associated FE diversity (frequency, richness and diversity indexes) and community composition vary as a function of aridity. Additionally, we assessed whether edaphic factors co-varying with aridity (soil water potential, soil moisture, pH and nutrients) may structure FE communities. We expected that FE diversity would gradually increase towards the aridity gradient declines, and that those locations that had the most contrasting environments would show more dissimilar FE communities. We found that richness indexes were inversely related to aridity, although this pattern was only partially observed for FE frequency and diversity. FE community composition was dissimilar among contrasting locations, and soil water availability significantly influenced FE community composition across the gradient. The results indicate that FE diversity and community composition associated with <i>A. chilensis</i> relate to differences in the aridity level across the gradient. Overall, our findings reveal the importance of climate-related factors in shaping changes in diversity, structure and distribution of FE in desert ecosystems. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:57:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4b749cbb0f6c476b92b6e9d70471a337 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:57:34Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj.art-4b749cbb0f6c476b92b6e9d70471a3372023-11-23T14:39:51ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472022-06-011111151110.3390/plants11111511Changes in Diversity and Community Composition of Root Endophytic Fungi Associated with <i>Aristolochia chilensis</i> along an Aridity Gradient in the Atacama DesertMaría José Guevara-Araya0Víctor M. Escobedo1Valeria Palma-Onetto2Marcia González-Teuber3Departamento de Química Ambiental, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción 4090541, ChileCentro de Ecología Integrativa, Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Talca, Talca 3460000, ChileDepartamento de Química Ambiental, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción 4090541, ChileDepartamento de Química Ambiental, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción 4090541, ChileDespite the widespread occurrence of fungal endophytes (FE) in plants inhabiting arid ecosystems, the environmental and soil factors that modulate changes in FE diversity and community composition along an aridity gradient have been little explored. We studied three locations along the coast of the Atacama Desert in Chile, in which the plant <i>Aristolochia chilensis</i> naturally grows, and that differ in their aridity gradient from hyper-arid to semi-arid. We evaluated if root-associated FE diversity (frequency, richness and diversity indexes) and community composition vary as a function of aridity. Additionally, we assessed whether edaphic factors co-varying with aridity (soil water potential, soil moisture, pH and nutrients) may structure FE communities. We expected that FE diversity would gradually increase towards the aridity gradient declines, and that those locations that had the most contrasting environments would show more dissimilar FE communities. We found that richness indexes were inversely related to aridity, although this pattern was only partially observed for FE frequency and diversity. FE community composition was dissimilar among contrasting locations, and soil water availability significantly influenced FE community composition across the gradient. The results indicate that FE diversity and community composition associated with <i>A. chilensis</i> relate to differences in the aridity level across the gradient. Overall, our findings reveal the importance of climate-related factors in shaping changes in diversity, structure and distribution of FE in desert ecosystems.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/11/11/1511root-associated fungiendophyte diversityariditysoil water availabilityAtacama Desert |
| spellingShingle | María José Guevara-Araya Víctor M. Escobedo Valeria Palma-Onetto Marcia González-Teuber Changes in Diversity and Community Composition of Root Endophytic Fungi Associated with <i>Aristolochia chilensis</i> along an Aridity Gradient in the Atacama Desert Plants root-associated fungi endophyte diversity aridity soil water availability Atacama Desert |
| title | Changes in Diversity and Community Composition of Root Endophytic Fungi Associated with <i>Aristolochia chilensis</i> along an Aridity Gradient in the Atacama Desert |
| title_full | Changes in Diversity and Community Composition of Root Endophytic Fungi Associated with <i>Aristolochia chilensis</i> along an Aridity Gradient in the Atacama Desert |
| title_fullStr | Changes in Diversity and Community Composition of Root Endophytic Fungi Associated with <i>Aristolochia chilensis</i> along an Aridity Gradient in the Atacama Desert |
| title_full_unstemmed | Changes in Diversity and Community Composition of Root Endophytic Fungi Associated with <i>Aristolochia chilensis</i> along an Aridity Gradient in the Atacama Desert |
| title_short | Changes in Diversity and Community Composition of Root Endophytic Fungi Associated with <i>Aristolochia chilensis</i> along an Aridity Gradient in the Atacama Desert |
| title_sort | changes in diversity and community composition of root endophytic fungi associated with i aristolochia chilensis i along an aridity gradient in the atacama desert |
| topic | root-associated fungi endophyte diversity aridity soil water availability Atacama Desert |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/11/11/1511 |
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