What Are the Effects of Moso Bamboo Expansion into Japanese Cedar on Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi: Altering the Community Composition Rather than the Diversity

Abstract

The unbridled expansion of moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) occurs throughout the world and has a series of consequences. However, the effect of bamboo expansion on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) is still poorly understood. We assessed the changes in the AMF community during bamboo expansion into Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) forests by analyzing AMF in three forest types—Japanese cedar (JC), bamboo-cedar mixed (BC) and moso bamboo (MB)—using 454 pyrosequencing technology. We found that the AMF community composition differed significantly among forest types. The relative abundance of Glomerales decreased from 74.0% in JC to 61.8% in BC and 42.5% in MB, whereas the relative abundance of Rhizophagus increased from 24.9% in JC to 35.9% in BC and 56.7% in MB. Further analysis showed that soil characteristics explained only 19.2% of the AMF community variation among forest types. Hence, vegetation is presumably the main driver of the alteration of the AMF community. The α diversity of AMF was similar between JC and MB, although it was higher in BC. Overall, this research sheds more light on AMF community dynamics during moso bamboo expansion. Our results highlight that the consequences of bamboo expansion in monoculture forests differ from those in mixed forests.

The Process of Patchy Expansion for Bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) at the Bamboo–Broadleaf Forest Interface: Spreading and Filling in Order

“…Additionally, the expansion of bamboo has increased soil pH [10], changed terrestrial water and nutrient cycles [11,12], affected soil microbial community structures [13], and so on. In recent years, considerable research has been carried out on the process of bamboo expansion [14,15] and the mechanism [14,16,17] and the expansion effects [4,18,19]. However, there is a lack of research on the bamboo expansion processes and patterns, which hinders the understanding of the bamboo expansion process and the research on expansion prevention and control.…”

Responses of Fungal Assembly and Co-Occurrence Network of Rhizosphere Soil to Amaranthus palmeri Invasion in Northern China

“…Alien plant invasion is a significant component of current global change and one of the primary causes of biodiversity loss [1,2]. The successful invasion of alien plants is directly correlated with the alteration of the underground microenvironment, including the alterations in soil characteristics and the composition and function of the soil microbial community [3,4].…”