Biodiversity, Spore Density and Root Colonization of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi at Expressway Cut-slopes in Korea

This study was conducted to investigate the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal biodiversity, spore density and root colonization in relation to site ages at expressway cut-slopes in Korea. Stabilization of exposed surface involved soil amendments and spraying seed mixture of turf grasses and/or nitrogen-fixing shrub species. Eighteen sites were selected with varying ages (2 to 16 years). Soil samples collected in October from each site were analyzed for fungal diversity and spore counts. Fine root samples from the plants were assayed for fungal colonization. Of the total 37 plants inspected in the sites, 26 species had endomycorrhizal colonization with an average root colonization rate of 18%, and with a range from 1 to 67%. The average endomycorrhizal colonization rate of initially introduced Festuca arundinacea which became the most dominant grass in later stage showed 22.8%, while that of Lespedeza bicolor which became the most dominant woody species were 21.6%. Naturally-invading Robinia pseudoacacia showed higher colonization rate in the old sites. Although site age did not show significant effects on fungal diversity, the root colonization rates of initially introduced plants decreased with the site aging, while those of invading plants increased with aging of the sites. The soil chemical properties, pH, N, and P contents, were negatively correlated with spore density, root colonization and endomycorrhizal species diversity. A total of forty arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal species in seven genera were identified. Of the 40 species, Acaulospora lacunosa, Glomus aggregatum, Glomus constrictum, Scutellospora erythropa, and Acaulospora spinosa were the five most dominant species in the decreasing order.