Non-Peer ReviewedChange of AMF (arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi) community between two seasons in
Grassland National Park had been studied in this article. We used FAMEs analysis and
PCR-DGGE analysis tested soil samples collected from 3 different ecosystems at two
sampling seasons. Based on our study, we found that AMF activity was significantly higher
in early (wet) than late (dry) seasons, and in early season, the amount of AMF also showed
significant positive linear relationship with amount of P and N in plant tissue. During late
season we didn’t find significant result among these variables, which may suggest that
seasonal changes could change the activity of AMF and affect relationship between AMF and
their host plant nutrient metabolism. Also, AMF species composition differed in early and
late season. Most AMF taxa found in the dry season in our study were unknown to the
scientific community. This suggests that AMF biodiversity had difference between seasons
and these uncommon AMF taxa are adapted to dry conditions. Besides, crested wheatgrass,
the dominant species in the park, although didn’t show significantly directly relationship with
AMF activity, it may improve soil organic carbon, soil soluble P, and increase the amount of
soil bacteria, which are also three important factors that could further affect AMF activity.
However, the absence of activity of crested wheatgrass combined with the low biodiversity in
the stand and low association with AMF in the dry season, suggests that a prolonged drought
period detrimental to crested wheatgrass would leave a prairie of crested wheatgrass
vulnerable and depleted
