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Effect of Inoculation with Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (Rhizophagus irregularis BGC AH01) on the Soil Bacterial Community Assembly

Summary

This study examined how arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (a beneficial fungus that partners with plant roots) influence soil bacteria communities over time. Researchers grew maize plants with and without this fungus and tracked bacterial changes over 90 days. They found that the fungus creates a more stable and diverse bacterial community that reaches equilibrium around 60 days, helping improve nutrient availability for plant growth.

Background

Soil bacterial communities are crucial for nutrient cycling and ecosystem functioning. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi form symbiotic relationships with over 70% of terrestrial plants and influence soil microbial communities through hyphal exudates. Understanding the temporal dynamics of bacterial communities under AM fungi colonization remains insufficiently characterized.

Objective

To examine the process of shaping bacterial communities in hyphosphere soil following inoculation with AM fungi (Rhizophagus irregularis) using non-destructive continuous sampling. The study aimed to reveal temporal dynamics of bacterial communities and analyze the bacterial community assembly process and key influencing soil factors.

Results

AM fungi inoculation increased α-diversity of bacterial communities, which stabilized by 60 days. Deterministic processes dominated assembly in AM fungi-inoculated soils, while stochastic processes prevailed in controls. Key bacterial taxa including Actinobacteriota and Gemmatimonadota were significantly correlated with soil properties and influenced by available phosphorus and carbon.

Conclusion

AM fungi accelerate bacterial community stabilization to approximately 60 days post-inoculation with deterministic assembly processes. The identified 60-day stabilization period offers a critical temporal framework for understanding tripartite soil-AM fungi-bacteria interactions, with implications for sustainable agriculture and ecosystem management.
  • Published in:Journal of Fungi,
  • Study Type:Experimental Study,
  • Source: 10.3390/jof11100739, 41149929
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