We provide the first analysis of the fungi associated with a very special habitat, the aeroponic roots found in caves and mines in New Brunswick, Canada. Fungal diversity was assessed by Illumina sequencing using three complementary primer sets targeting ribosomal RNA genes, and roots were identified using the non-coding trnH-psbA spacer. Early colonizing ectomycorrhizal fungi such as Agaricales, Helotiales, Pezizales, and Thelephorales were predominant. Saprotrophs, endophytes and plant pathogens were also present, but Glomeromycota (arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi) were not detected. Fungal root communities were generally most similar within sites. Fungal diversity was inversely correlated with winter dark zone temperatures and distance from the entrance. By using a combination of three primer sets, we detected more fungal taxa than with any one primer set. This study adds to the understanding of these subterranean ecosystems and suggests that future studies investigate factors limiting the presence of late-stage ectomycorrhizal fungi and Glomeromycota.

我们对与特殊栖息地相关的真菌进行了首次分析，该真菌是加拿大新不伦瑞克省的山洞和矿山中发现的气生根。使用三个互补的针对核糖体RNA基因的引物通过Illumina测序评估真菌多样性，并使用非编码trnH - psbA鉴定根垫片。早期定殖的外生菌根真菌，如琼脂菌，Hellotiales，Pezizales和Thelephorales占主导地位。也存在腐生菌，内生菌和植物病原体，但未检出球菌（丛枝菌根真菌）。真菌根社区在站点内通常最相似。真菌的多样性与冬季暗区的温度和与入口的距离成反比。通过结合使用三个引物组，我们检测到的真菌类群比任何一个引物组都多。这项研究增加了对这些地下生态系统的了解，并建议未来的研究调查限制晚期外生菌根真菌和球菌的存在的因素。