Ectomycorrhizal fungal communities associated with Masson pine (Pinus massoniana) and white oak (Quercus fabri) in a manganese mining region in Hunan Province, China

The ecological responses of ectomycorrhizal fungi to heavy-metal contamination could affect the establishment and survival of trees under stress conditions due to industrial mining operations. In this study, we investigated species composition and diversity of ectomycorrhizal fungi associated with Masson pine (Pinus massoniana) and white oak (Quercus fabri) growing in Xiangtan manganese mining area in China. Canonical correspondence analysis revealed that soil Mn, Cu, Cd and several other soil cofactors related to manganese mining activities simultaneously structured the ectomycorrhizal community; in addition, a strong host effect was observed. The pine ectomycorrhizal community was dominated by four taxa (Atheliaceae, Thelephoraceae, Russulaceae, and Cenococcum), while the oak community was dominated by Thelephoraceae and Cenococcum. The relative abundance of Atheliaceae was positively correlated with soil manganese concentrations while that of Russulaceae decreased with increasing soil manganese. These ecological responses of ectomycorrhizal fungi may reflect the different physiological sensitivity of ectomycorrhizal fungal species to manganese. (c) 2014 Elsevier Ltd and The British Mycological Society. All rights reserved.