Interactions between mycorrhizal colonization and plant life forms along the successional gradient of coastal sand dunes in the eastern Mediterranean, Turkey

Cakan H., Karataş Ç.

ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH, vol.21, no.2, pp.301-310, 2006 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 21 Issue: 2
  • Publication Date: 2006
  • Doi Number: 10.1007/s11284-005-0134-x
  • Journal Name: ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.301-310
  • Keywords: arbuscular mycorrhizal, dunes, succession, plant community, life form, VESICULAR-ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAL, COMMUNITY STRUCTURE, ASSOCIATIONS, VEGETATION, DIVERSITY, DYNAMICS, ROOTS, FUNGI
  • Çukurova University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

The mycorrhizal status of dune plant species in

relation to their plant life forms was surveyed along a

successional gradient of sand dune on the southern

Mediterranean coast of Turkey. Roots of 64 dune plant

species belonging to 30 families were collected from sand

dune communities at four different successional stages:

embryonic dunes (ED), mobile dunes (MD), fixed dunes

(FD), and remnant dunes (RD). Of the plant species

surveyed in all successional stages, 54 (84%) had formed

mycorrhizal associations. Nonmycorrhizal plants with

cryptophyte life forms predominated in the earlier successional

stages (ED and MD), whereas the number and

percent coverage of mycorrhizal plant species belonging

to hemicryptophytes, phanerophytes, and chamaephytes

generally increased with the stabilization of sand dunes.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) colonization was found

to be the dominant mycorrhizal type in ED, MD, and

RD. But phanerophytes with dual colonization, AM and

ectomycorrhizal, became the dominant life form with

high plant coverage in the FD stage. Total percentage of

mycorrhizal root length colonization showed significant

positive correlations relating to soil parameters such as

organic matter and nitrogen content, while negatively

correlating to high soil reaction (pH).

The mycorrhizal status of dune plant species in relation to their plant life forms was surveyed along a successional gradient of sand dune on the southern Mediterranean coast of Turkey. Roots of 64 dune plant species belonging to 30 families were collected from sand dune communities at four different successional stages: embryonic dunes (ED), mobile dunes (MD), fixed dunes (FD), and remnant dunes (RD). Of the plant species surveyed in all successional stages, 54 (84%) had formed mycorrhizal associations. Nonmycorrhizal plants with cryptophyte life forms predominated in the earlier successional stages (ED and MD), whereas the number and percent coverage of mycorrhizal plant species belonging to hemicryptophytes, phanerophytes, and chamaephytes generally increased with the stabilization of sand dunes. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) colonization was found to be the dominant mycorrhizal type in ED, MD, and RD. But phanerophytes with dual colonization, AM and ectomycorrhizal, became the dominant life form with high plant coverage in the FD stage. Total percentage of mycorrhizal root length colonization showed significant positive correlations relating to soil parameters such as organic matter and nitrogen content, while negatively correlating to high soil reaction (pH).