Reduced diversity of AM fungi in annually cropped fields of the Canadian prairie

Non-Peer ReviewedThe arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are important service providers to agriculture that are impacted by certain cultural practices. We assessed the status of AM fungal resources in the Prairie, from the Grey to the Brown soil zone, through sampling 176 wheat fields, 117 adjacent roadsides and 24 natural areas, at heading. The 18S rRNA gene sequences of AM fungi in soil metagenomic DNA accounted for 15% of all fungal target sequences recorded, and clustered in 122 operational taxonomic units (OTUs), a proxy for species. A few OTUs dominated under each land use type, and these OTUs often dominated under all three types of land use. The AM fungal community was influenced by land use and soil type. The size of the family Claroideoglomeraceae decreased from Black to Brown soils, and from roadside to field soil. On average, about eight OTUs were found in a field or a natural soil as compared to 14 in roadsides, and diversity (Shannon index) was lowest in cropland where the community was very uneven. The diversity and abundance of AM fungi was low in Brown soils. Lower AM fungal abundance and diversity in 2009, the dry year, than in 2010, the wet year, suggests that the proliferation of AM fungi in Brown soils may be limited by water availability. A long history of frequent fallow and wheat monoculture in the Brown soil zone may also explain reduced AM fungal diversity in these dry soils

Phosphorus forms and concentrations in soils under different land use in southwestern Saskatchewan

Non-Peer ReviewedPhosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient for all organisms. Insufficient or poorly available P can limit crop growth, requiring P fertilization. However, excess P can move from land to water, impairing water quality. Balancing P fertilization to maximize crop growth while limiting P loss requires a detailed knowledge of P forms and cycling. Different land use practices are expected to alter P cycling through differences in microbial populations, P inputs from vegetation and fertilizer, and management practices that affect soil chemical and physical properties. Understanding P cycling under different land uses can help to improve P use efficiency in agriculture. Presented here are the preliminary results of a research project investigating P forms and cycling in soils under different land uses in southwestern Saskatchewan

Agronomic practices influence soil biodiversity with strong feedback to plant growth

Non-Peer Reviewe

Forecasting the quality of AMF communities

Non-Peer Reviewe

Bases for the management of the AM symbiosis in cropping systems of the prairie

Non-Peer Reviewe

Belowground DNA-based techniques: untangling the network of plant root interactions

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