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Structural variability in the bulk soil, rhizosphere, and root endophyte fungal communities of Themeda japonica plants under different grades of karst rocky desertification

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Abstract

Background and aims

Karst rocky desertification (KRD) influences soil properties and plant species. Soil microbes are important factors in maintaining ecosystem stability. However, little is known about the role of fungi in adaptation of plants to KRD.

Methods

Fungi colonized in bulk soil, rhizosphere, and roots of Themeda japonica at strong and slight KRD were analyzed by ITS2 amplicon sequencing. The relationship between soil nutrients and fungal diversity was estimated by redundancy analysis (RDA) and Spearman analysis.

Results

AN, NN, SOC, TN, TP content and pH in strong KRD soil were higher than those with slight KRD. Rhizosphere with slight KRD had higher fungal richness and diversity than it with strong KRD, but there was no difference in root endophyte between KRD grades. The bulk soil with slight KRD had higher fungal richness compare to strong KRD. The fungal communities in bulk soil, rhizosphere, and root between plants at different KRD grades were significantly different. In addition, the fungal communities of rhizosphere were sensitive to the change of KRD environment. Ascomycota and Basidiomycota were the predominant phyla in bulk soil, rhizosphere and root endophyte at strong and slight KRD. SOC, AN and pH influenced the composition of fungal communities at strong KRD. In contrast, TN and AN had a negative impact on richness.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that fungal communities of rhizosphere may play a role in adaptation of T. japonica to KRD and may contribute to promote plant growth and ecological performance in karst areas.

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Acknowledgements

This research was financially supported by Program for the Joint Fund of the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Karst Science Research Center of Guizhou province (Grant No. U1812401), Changjiang Scholars and innovative Research Team in University (IRT_17R50), Lanzhou University “Double First-Class” guiding special project-team construction fund-scientific research start-up fee standard (561119206), Technical service agreement on research and development of beneficial microbial agents for Alpine Rhododendron (071200001), Guizhou education department program (Qianjiaohe-KY-2018-130), Major science and technology sub-project of Guizhou science and technology program (Qiankehe-2019-3001-2).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Biodiversity Conservation in Karst Mountainous Areas of Southwestern China, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, Guizhou, 550025, People’s Republic of China

    Ming Tang, Jie Liu, Han Xiong, Jiyi Gong, Xiaoxin Tang, Zhaofeng Li & Yin Yi

  2. State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems; Center for Grassland Microbiome; Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation; Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; Engineering Research Center of Grassland Industry; Ministry of Education; College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China

    Wenpeng Hou, Chen Cheng, Yinglong Liu & Jianfeng Wang

  3. Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA

    Reed M. Stubbendieck

  4. School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, People’s Republic of China

    Jie Jin

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  1. Ming Tang
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  2. Jie Liu
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  3. Wenpeng Hou
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  9. Xiaoxin Tang
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  10. Yinglong Liu
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  13. Yin Yi
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Correspondence to Jianfeng Wang or Yin Yi.

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Tang, M., Liu, J., Hou, W. et al. Structural variability in the bulk soil, rhizosphere, and root endophyte fungal communities of Themeda japonica plants under different grades of karst rocky desertification. Plant Soil 475, 105–122 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-021-04969-y

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