Track 2-6-2: Forests, Agroforestry and Wildlife towards Integrated, Productive Landscapes
Description
Soil fungi are critical components of microbial communities in terrestrial ecosystems, where they play essential roles in many aspects of ecosystem development, functioning and stability. Leaf litter fungal decomposers, in particular, play an important biotic role in recycling ecosystem nutrients (Schneider et al., 2012).The extreme conditions due to changing climate of any ecosystems restrict primary producers to form symbiotic relationships that aid their establishment and survival (Khidir et al., 2010). Root exudates are known to attract and maintain symbiotic fungal communities that form mutualistic associations with plant roots and colonize surrounding soil. Studies suggested a strong correlation between fungal and plant diversity, due to fungal host specificity (Peay et al., 2013). The C available to soil microorganisms is derived from plant photosynthesis in term of aboveground input from litter and belowground input through the root. Symbiotic fungi received C directly from host roots while saprophytic fungi derive carbon from the decomposition of dead plant material. Litter fall provides substrate for leaf litter fungi such as saprotrophs, endophytes, parasitic and pathogenic fungi. Soil fungal diversity and composition affected by a wide range of biotic and abiotic factors (Hawkes et al., 2011) but determinates of their diversity and functional interactions are not well known. Understanding the response of fungal communities to different plant species leaf litter and their stage of decomposition will contribute to our understanding of how these influence fungal diversity and dynamism in an ecosystem which ultimately helps in nutrient cycling and long term sustaining the system. In this study, we evaluated the effects of plant litter diversity on fungal successive diversity and dynamics in Bauhinia based silvipasture system.
Included in
Successional Pattern of Fungi Associated with Leaf Litter of Bauhinia malabarica Based Silvipasture System in Semiarid Region
Soil fungi are critical components of microbial communities in terrestrial ecosystems, where they play essential roles in many aspects of ecosystem development, functioning and stability. Leaf litter fungal decomposers, in particular, play an important biotic role in recycling ecosystem nutrients (Schneider et al., 2012).The extreme conditions due to changing climate of any ecosystems restrict primary producers to form symbiotic relationships that aid their establishment and survival (Khidir et al., 2010). Root exudates are known to attract and maintain symbiotic fungal communities that form mutualistic associations with plant roots and colonize surrounding soil. Studies suggested a strong correlation between fungal and plant diversity, due to fungal host specificity (Peay et al., 2013). The C available to soil microorganisms is derived from plant photosynthesis in term of aboveground input from litter and belowground input through the root. Symbiotic fungi received C directly from host roots while saprophytic fungi derive carbon from the decomposition of dead plant material. Litter fall provides substrate for leaf litter fungi such as saprotrophs, endophytes, parasitic and pathogenic fungi. Soil fungal diversity and composition affected by a wide range of biotic and abiotic factors (Hawkes et al., 2011) but determinates of their diversity and functional interactions are not well known. Understanding the response of fungal communities to different plant species leaf litter and their stage of decomposition will contribute to our understanding of how these influence fungal diversity and dynamism in an ecosystem which ultimately helps in nutrient cycling and long term sustaining the system. In this study, we evaluated the effects of plant litter diversity on fungal successive diversity and dynamics in Bauhinia based silvipasture system.
