Ectomycorrhizal fungal communities of Quercus liaotungensis along different successional stands on the Loess Plateau, China

Although Quercus liaotungensis forest is an important component of Loess Plateau forest ecosystems, little is known about the ectomycorrhizal fungal (EMF) symbiosis of Q. liaotungensis in this ecosystem. Here we investigated EMF communities of Q. liaotungensis along three successional stands on the central Loess Plateau (Yan'an, China): a seedling stand (1 to 3-year-old seedlings under a Populus davidiana forest stand), a young tree stand (20 to 30-year-old Q. liaotungensis forest stand), and a mature tree stand (50 to 70-year-old Q. liaotungensis forest stand). In each stand, the Q. liaotungensis roots were sampled, then EMF communities were examined on the basis of EMF morphotyping, PCR–RFLP, and DNA sequencing. In total, 70 EMF species were observed, and the total richness of estimated species exceeded 100 EMF species. The EMF community was composed of a few common taxa (approx. 7 %) and many rare taxa (approx. 61 %). EMF richness in young and mature trees was higher than in seedlings. EMF communities of young and mature trees were more similar than those of seedlings and trees. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling ordinations of the EMF community revealed more separation among Q. liaotungensis of different age. This study provides preliminary insight into the taxonomic diversity of EMF of Q. liaotungensis along different successional stands on the Loess Plateau.