Assessment of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal spore density and viability in soil stockpiles of South African opencast coal mines

Abstract

The symbioses between arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and plant roots is essential for nutrient uptake and growth of most vascular plants. Soil condition and management influence the density and viability of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) spores. In this study, AMF spore density and viability in soil stockpiles obtained from three opencast coal mines were assessed. Soil samples were randomly collected from stockpiles and an unmined site at depths of ≤20 cm (topsoil) and >20 cm (subsoil) for enumeration of AMF spores and a mycorrhizal trap culture experiment using maize (Zea mays). Roots of trap-plants were assessed for mycorrhization by classical staining as well as detection of nuclear rRNA gene of the Glomeromycota phylum. Number of AMF spores was highest in topsoil from the unmined site and was significantly (p < 0.05) influenced by site × sampling depth interaction. DNA-based detection revealed that AMF colonisation was mostly associated with topsoil than with subsoil. Five operational taxonomic units (OTUs)/ species related to Paraglomus were identified; however, some of the OTUs were phylogenetically distant from defined Paraglomus species on the basis of sequences in the GenBank database. Overall, results suggest that AMF spore density in stockpiles do not differ from an unmined site, but viability may be influenced by soil depth.