Abstract Detail

Symbioses: Plant, Animal, and Microbe Interactions

Naseer, Arooj [1], Khalid, Abdul Nasir [2].

Importance of ectomycorrhizal association in conservation of Himalayan Oaks.

Most conservation efforts in dry tropical forests have overlooked less obvious targets for conservation, such as mycorrhizal fungi, that are critical to plant growth and ecosystem structure. However, community structure of fungal fruiting bodies and ectomycorrhiza associated with Oaks was poorly studied not only in Pakistan but also in Asia in comparison to other parts of world. So, above ground ectomycorrhizal fungal communities partners in form of fruiting bodies as well as below ground ectomycorrhizal fungal communities partners in form of morphotypes were collected from seven different oak forests of Swat and Dir, KP, Pakistan. This investigation, based on morpho-anatomocal as well as phylogenetic analysis, revealed a high diversity of 256 fungal taxa. From above ground, 53 species were identified as ectomycorrhizal fruiting bodies belonging to 24 genera and 15 families. At family level, Russulaceae (3 Lactarius spp., 8 Russula spp.) was the most diverse following by Boletaceae (8 genera; 9 species), Amanitaceae (7 Amanita spp.), Inocybaceae (7 Inocybe spp.) and Sclerodermataceae (6 Scleroderma spp.). From below ground, 168 taxa were identified belonging to 33 genera and 25 families, grouped into 25 ECM lineages. The /russula-lactarius was most diverse lineages with 39 OTUs followed by /tomentella-thelephora (22 OTUs). These findings exhibit most diverse and rich ectomycorrhizal communities associated with oaks. The oaks of Pakistan are hotspot for their ECM mycobionts and they have the largest number of potential endemic species. Information collected from this study can be used as baseline information for future studies to investigate the impacts of different ectomycorrhizal fungi on endemic oak.

1 - University Of Punjab, Center For Undergraduate Studies, New Campus, Lahore, Punjab, IS, 54590, Pakistan
2 - University of the Punjab, Lahore, Department of Botany, New Campus, Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan, 545900

Keywords:
Himayala
Quercus.

Presentation Type: Poster
Session: P, Symbioses: Plant, Animal, and Microbe Interactions Posters
Location: Arizona Ballroom/Starr Pass
Date: Monday, July 29th, 2019
Time: 5:30 PM This poster will be presented at 6:15 pm. The Poster Session runs from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm. Posters with odd poster numbers are presented at 5:30 pm, and posters with even poster numbers are presented at 6:15 pm.
Number: PSM006
Abstract ID:567
Candidate for Awards:None