Litter-forager termite mounds enhance the ectomycorrhizal symbiosis between Acacia holosericea A. Cunn. Ex G. Don and Scleroderma dictyosporum isolates

Abstract

The hypothesis of the present study was that the termite mounds of Macrotermes subhyalinus (MS) (a litter-forager termite) were inhabited by a specific microflora that could enhance with the ectomycorrhizal fungal development. We tested the effect of this feeding group mound material on (i) the ectomycorrhization symbiosis between Acacia holosericea (an Australian Acacia introduced in the sahelian areas) and two ectomycorrhizal fungal isolates of Scleroderma dictyosporum (IR408 and IR412) in greenhouse conditions, (ii) the functional diversity of soil microflora and (iii) the diversity of fluorescent pseudomonads. The results showed that the termite mound amendment significantly increased the ectomycorrhizal expansion. MS mound amendment and ectomycorrhizal inoculation induced strong modifications of the soil functional microbial diversity by promoting the multiplication of carboxylic acid catabolizing microorganisms. The phylogenetic analysis showed that fluorescent pseudomonads mostly belong to the Pseudomonads monteillii species. One of these, P. monteillii isolate KR9, increased the ectomycorrhizal development between S. dictyosporum IR412 and A. holosericea. The occurrence of MS termite mounds could be involved in the expansion of ectomycorrhizal symbiosis and could be implicated in nutrient flow and local diversity.

Termite Mound Identification through Aerial Photographic Interpretation in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo: Methodology Evaluation

“…Soil foraging termite mounds like those of Macrotermes falciger play an important part in ecosystem functioning, even in their whole landscape structuring : they influence community-wide interactions via changes in the abiotic landscape and induce biological diversity as well as landscape heterogeneity [7, 10, 29, 30]. Their action in the soil, as presented in the discussion, influences resources distribution, which favours the development of microbial activity as well as symbiotic ectomycorhizes on plants growing on the mounds.…”

“…Their action in the soil, as presented in the discussion, influences resources distribution, which favours the development of microbial activity as well as symbiotic ectomycorhizes on plants growing on the mounds. This favours their development and increases nitrogen content in the soil through atmospheric nitrogen fixation by the mycorhizes [29, 30]. Due to this richer soil composition on termite mounds, specific vegetation develops, inducing new ecosystems locally and heterogeneous patterns in the landscape [10, 30].…”

Archaea, bacteria and termite, nitrogen fixation and sustainable plants production

“…Bama and Ravindran (2018) concluded that combined use of termite mound materials and inorganic fertilization significantly increase the Zea mays growth and yield. Kisa et al (2006) showed that termite mound materials consisting of Pseudomonas monteilii species enhanced the ectomycorrhizal development between Acacia holosericea and Scleroderma dictyosporum. Suzuku et al (2007) observed that combining sandy soil with termite mound materials at a proportion of 120 Mg/ha improved porosity and transformed the pore size distribution, thus causing a stepping up in the obtainable water content for the crop growth.…”