Diversity of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Associating with Coexisting Cheatgrass and Big Sagebrush.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are important plant symbionts, and have been implicated in successful plant invasions through multiple mechanisms. Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) has been shown to reduce AMF density in invaded soils, but its effects on AMF diversity are not known. The research presented here compares diversity of AMF associating with coexisting cheatgrass and big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata), the historic dominant plant species where cheatgrass invasion is most severe. AMF species were identified from 3 distinct locations in CO, UT and WY using trap cultures containing field-collected soil and root material grown for 1 year in a greenhouse. Diversity was also measured using DNA extracted from the same soil and root samples. DNA was amplified using AMF-specific primers, cloned and sequenced.