Elevation gradients and soil characteristics shape arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the Indian mid-Himalaya
Data files
Jul 08, 2025 version files 5.40 KB
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AccessionReport.tsv
436 B
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Data.csv
2.47 KB
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README.md
2.50 KB
Abstract
The Indian mid-Himalayan Region, as a mountainous ecosystem with a range of biotic and abiotic conditions, provides a unique opportunity to study the diversity of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF). The present investigation was conducted to study the AMF diversity across the altitudinal gradient, using both molecular and morphological techniques, and identifying key soil properties influencing AMF diversity and distribution in the Himalayan region. In this study, soil samples were collected from diverse land use systems of four districts of the Uttarakhand Himalayas ranging in height from ~1200 to 3100m. AMF species were identified using a morphological and molecular study of spores isolated from collected soil samples. A total of six species were identified belonging to 4 genera and 2 families of Glomeromycota. Unlike spore density, AMF diversity and community composition were positively associated with altitude. Across the sampling sites, the most widely distributed species or their relative abundance at Chamoli and Bageshwar was Gigaspora margarita (~40 and 37%), while at Almora and Nainital, Funneliformis mosseae (~28 and 31%) was the dominant species. In a correlation study, AMF spore density was significantly (p<0.01) and positively associated with organic carbon, urease, acid phosphatase, and root colonization percentage, while negatively associated with phosphorus, potassium, and alkaline phosphatase. Overall, the present study suggested that the pattern and distribution of the AMF community in the Himalayan region are strongly driven by altitude and soil characteristics. The findings of the present study will be helpful for developing strategies for the AMF multiplication program and their further application to augment agricultural productivity and ecological restoration in the Himalayan region using reported native AMF species.
Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.f7m0cfz6k
Description of the data and file structure
The rhizospheric soil samples of 0-18cm were collected from diverse land use systems of four districts of Uttarakhand during 2020-21. The studied region has a large variation in terms of topography, soils, climate, and vegetation type. In order to cover the entire region, a total of 75 soils and root samples were collected from altitudes of ~1200 to 3100m in forest, agriculture, and natural habitats. The collected soil samples were air-dried and passed through a 2 mm sieve, and stored for the estimation of soil physico-chemical properties. From each sample, approximately 100g of fresh soil was separated for the enumeration of the soil biological and mycorrhizal properties. The root samples were rinsed with distilled water and stored in 50% ethanol for further AMF colonization study.
Files and variables
File: Data.csv
Variables: Description: Unit
- Rhizophagus intraradices: AMF genus and species name
- Funneliformis mosseae: AMF genus and species name
- Funneliformis Coronatus: AMF genus and species name
- Funneliformis caledonium: AMF genus and species name
- Dentiscutata savannicola: AMF genus and species name
- Gigaspora sp: AMF genus name
- pH: a measure of the acidity or basicity of a solution
- EC: electrical conductivity: dS/m
- OC: soil organic carbon: %
- K: soil available potassium: kg/ha
- P: soil available phosphorus: kg/ha
- N: soil available nitrogen: kg/ha
- Zn: DTPA extractable zinc: ppm
- Cu: DTPA extractable copper: ppm
- Fe: DTPA extractable iron: ppm
- Mn: DTPA extractable manganese: ppm
- URS: urease enzyme: µg produced per g soil per hour
- DHA: dehydrogenases: µg produced per g soil per hour
- AP: acid phosphatase: µg produced per g soil per hour
- ALKP: alkaline phosphatase: µg produce per g soil per hour
- BGL :β-glucosidase: µg produce per g soil per hour
- SD: AMF spore density: per 50g soi
- RC: AMF root colonization: %
- ELV: elevation: meter
- Location: site from where soil and root samples were collected: -
File: AccessionReport.tsv
Variables: Description
- Accession NCBI Sequence ID: Accession number provided by NCBI to the submitted AMF sequences
- Release Date: Date of accession number released by NCBI to the submitted AMF sequences