Seasonality of root fungal colonization in low-alpine herbs

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) and dark septate endophytic (DSE) fungal colonization of Alchemilla glomerulans, Carex vaginata, Ranunculus acris ssp. pumilus and Trollius europaeus growing in low-alpine meadows in the Finnish subarctic were studied at different times during the growing season. Fungal colonization was correlated to soil soluble phosphorus (P) concentration. The influence of flower bud removal on fungal colonization was investigated in A. glomerulans, C. vaginata and R. acris and the correlation between AM and DSE colonization was studied. The fungal colonization patterns were found to be species-specific. R. acris maintained a relatively high rate of fungal colonization throughout the summer, while the rates of colonization of T. europaeus were lower and decreased towards the end of the season. A. glomerulans had constant arbuscular and vesicular colonization throughout the summer, but hyphal and DSE colonization declined towards the end of the season. C. vaginata did not form arbuscular mycorrhiza, but was colonized by DSE fungi and hyaline septate hyphae throughout the season. The soil soluble P concentration showed some seasonal variation, but was also highly variable between the study sites. Bud removal decreased arbuscular colonization of R. acris, but no unique effects were seen in any other parameters or the other species studied. The root fungal parameters correlated with soil P in some species at some sites, but no consistent trend was found. DSE colonization was positively correlated with root vesicular and hyphal colonization in some cases. The differences in fungal colonization parameters may be related to species-specific phenologies.