Belowground Mutualisms to Support Prairie Reconstruction—Improving Prairie Habitat Using Mycorrhizal Inoculum
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- Document: Report (1.18 MB pdf) , HTML , XML
- Data Releases:
- USGS data release - —Management of remnant tallgrass prairie by grazing or fire in western Minnesota, 2016–2017
- USGS data release - —Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in remnant and reconstructed prairies in Minnesota and Iowa, 2019 (ver. 2.0, April 2022)
- Download citation as: RIS | Dublin Core
Abstract
As a first step toward understanding the feasibility of using arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in reconstruction practice, we addressed four objectives: (1) compare root-associated AMF communities of plants between high-quality remnant prairies and reconstructed prairies, (2) compare root-associated AMF communities between plant species that declined in reconstructions and species that were thriving, (3) compare AMF communities collected from roots of plants in geographically separate parts of Minnesota and Iowa, and (4) assess the relationship between AMF communities and soil abiotic factors. We collected soil and root samples in 8 prairies reconstructed in 2005 (and monitored through 2015) and 6 remnant prairies, and the samples were separated into 6 geographically determined clusters, each containing 1–2 reconstructions and 1 remnant. Sequencing was completed on 1,188 deoxyribonucleic acid extracts from individual plant root samples, and fungal sequences were clustered to operational taxonomic units at 97-percent identity. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling was used to visualize differences in species composition of AMF communities among plant species and field sites. Permutational analysis of variance was completed to test for differences in AMF community composition between the 2 types of sites (remnants and reconstructions), among plant species, and among the 6 site clusters. AMF communities differed between remnant and reconstructed prairies, with one exception, and AMF associated with individual plant species also tended to differ, depending on whether the plant species’ roots were collected from remnant or reconstructed prairie. On the other hand, we did not determine that, as a group, species in decline in the reconstructions we had monitored were more likely to harbor different AMF communities compared to species not in decline in the reconstructions. Significant interactions between site type and clusters indicate geographic variation in AMF communities. Total carbon and nitrogen, and organic matter, were higher in remnant soils, whereas phosphorus, which at high concentrations reduces the value of AMF to plants, was much higher in soils collected from reconstructions.
Suggested Citation
Vink, S.N., Aldrich-Wolfe, L., Huerd, S.C., Larson, J.L., Vacek, S.C., Drobney, P.M., Barnes, M., Viste-Sparkman, K., Jordan, N.R., and Larson, D.L., 2022, Belowground mutualisms to support prairie reconstruction—Improving prairie habitat using mycorrhizal inoculum: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2022–1055, 18 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20221055.
ISSN: 2331-1258 (online)
Study Area
Table of Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Abstract
- Introduction
- Methods
- Results
- Discussion
- Conclusion
- References Cited
- Appendix 1. Details of Sampled Sites
Publication type | Report |
---|---|
Publication Subtype | USGS Numbered Series |
Title | Belowground mutualisms to support prairie reconstruction—Improving prairie habitat using mycorrhizal inoculum |
Series title | Open-File Report |
Series number | 2022-1055 |
DOI | 10.3133/ofr20221055 |
Year Published | 2022 |
Language | English |
Publisher | U.S. Geological Survey |
Publisher location | Reston, VA |
Contributing office(s) | Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center |
Description | Report: vi, 18 p.; 2 Data Releases |
Country | United States |
State | Iowa, Minnesota |
Online Only (Y/N) | Y |
Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |