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Does mycorrhizal specificity affect orchid decline and rarity?
Bruno Cachapa Bailarote1, Bart Lievens, Hans Jacquemyn
1Division of Plant Ecology and Systematics, Biology Department, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 31, B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium. bruno.cachapabailarote@bio.kuleuven.be
American Journal of Botany
|October 4, 2012
Summary
Orchid rarity is not necessarily linked to mycorrhizal fungal diversity. A study on two orchid species found that the resilient species had fewer fungal partners, challenging previous assumptions about orchid survival and fungal specificity.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Mycology
- Conservation Biology
Background:
- Orchids depend on mycorrhizal fungi for germination and survival.
- Mycorrhizal specificity has been hypothesized to influence orchid rarity and persistence, particularly in fragmented habitats.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between mycorrhizal communities and the contrasting population trends of two orchid species in Belgium.
- To test the hypothesis that higher mycorrhizal specificity is associated with orchid persistence.
Main Methods:
- Examined mycorrhizal associations in five populations of Anacamptis morio and Dactylorhiza fuchsii.
- Utilized ITS-based DNA arrays for fungal identification.
- Assessed and compared mycorrhizal specificity and phylogenetic diversity between the two orchid species.
Main Results:
- Both orchid species hosted diverse Tulasnellaceae fungal partners with low phylogenetic relatedness.
- The declining orchid species was associated with more fungal operational taxonomical units than the resilient species.
- Mycorrhizal communities showed higher phylogenetic relatedness among populations in the stable orchid compared to the declining one.
Conclusions:
- Orchid rarity and persistence may not be directly correlated with mycorrhizal fungal diversity.
- Factors beyond fungal associations likely play a more significant role in determining orchid persistence in changing environments.
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