Colonization pattern and molecular diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi from floating islands in Hungary

Ágnes Zöld-Balogha, Márton Baloghb, Attila Englonerc, Károly Bókad, Bernadett Berecza, Bóna Lillaa, Merényi Zsolta, Zoltán Brateka & István Parádia

Sydowia 72: 131-155

Published online on April 21st, 2020

Floating islands are pseudo-dry lands composed by littoral macrophyte vegetation bending down on water and forming interwoven rhizomes and roots collecting debris and litter, which may be followed by a succession of herbal and woody species. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis of characteristic plant species from the rooting layers of three species-poor floating islands with distinct trophity in Hungary were studied. According to our knowledge, colonization of 25 plant species was shown for the first time in a wetland/floating island ecosystem. As a first report of AM fungal molecular diversity on floating islands 15 phylotypes belonging to Glomeraceae, Entrophosporaceae and Acaulosporaceae were characterized. Results confirm that certain AM fungal taxa may have a preference of wetlands although specific taxa characteristic to floating islands have not been shown.

Keywords: floating island, floating mat, sudd, root colonization, ITS region, molecular diversity

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