Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in the Espinal Ecoregion, Gaps, and Opportunities

ONTIVERO R. E.; LUGO M. A.

Mycorrhizal Fungi in South America. Biodiversity, Conservation, and Sustainable Food Production.

Springer

Lugar: Basilea; Año: 2022; p. 305 - 320

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are an important component of the diversity of terrestrial ecosystems. Knowledge of the diversity and structure of AMF is important for the management of the different ecoregions. The Espinal is an ecoregion and phytogeographic province in central Argentina that has suffered a significant loss of natural vegetation due to the expansion of the agricultural frontier and deforestation. The Espinal involved three different vegetation areas named District of the Algarrobo, Ñandubay and Caldén. The objective of this chapter was to revise the scientific information related to AMF that was conducted in this threatened ecoregion. The number of investigations in the Espinal are few, among these only 4 published works and one unpublished report were found. The Ñandubay district was the one that showed the greatest richness of AMF species. The AMF species composition of the Ñandubay and Caldén Districts is different. Agricultural activities would have a negative effect on the diversity of AMF species in the Algarrobo District. It is necessary to carry out more research in the region, because knowing the diversity and structure of the AMF community provides useful information to develop management and reforestation plans