| description |
Most terrestrial plants interact with diverse clades of mycorrhizal and root-endophytic fungi in their roots. Through the below-ground plant_fungal association, dominant plants can benefit by interacting with host-specific mutualistic fungi, while subordinate plant species may persist by sharing other sets (ecotypes) of fungal symbionts with each other. Therefore, the host preference of root-associated fungi is the key to understand plant community structure and dynamics. Based on 454-pyrosequencing, we revealed the root-associated fungal community on co-occurring 36 plant species in an oak-dominated forest in northern Japan, and statistically evaluated the host preference of diverse mycorrhizal and root-endophytic fungi. The analysis of 278 fungal taxa indicated that several taxa in the ectomycorrhizal family Russulaceae and the ecologically-diverse ascomycete order Helotiales had significant host preference for the dominant oak (Quercus) species. On the other hand, arbuscular-mycorrhizal fungi were shared mainly among subordinate plant species. While these fungi with host preference contributed to compartmentalize the below-ground plant_fungal associations, diverse clades of ectomycorrhizal fungi and possible root-endophytes associated not only with the dominant Quercus but also with the remaining plant species. Our findings suggest that dominant and subordinate plant species can host different subsets of root-associated fungi, while diverse clades of generalist fungi can counterbalance the compartmentalization of plant_fungal associations. Such insights into the overall structure of plant_root-associated fungal associations will enable us to understand the mechanisms that facilitate the co-existence of plant species in natural communities. |