Arbuscular mycorrhizal association of mangroves in saline and non-saline soils

摘要

Mangroves are salt-tolerant seed plants of diverse structure varying from shrubs to trees and constitute a very specialized forest ecosystem in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world bordering sheltered sea coasts and estuaries (Kostermann 1959; Basak, Das, and Das 1998; Das, Basak, and Das 1997). Since mangroves play an important role in contributing organic matter to associated biota in the tropical ecosystems of many countries, it is worthwhile to study the soil microflora associatedwith them. The symbiotic behaviour of AM (arbuscular mycorrhizal) fungi is very well documented (Setua, Kar, Ghosh et al., 1999; Godeas, Fracchia, Mujica et al., 1999). The arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are widely distributed in diversified habitats fromterrestrial to aquatic systems. Very few reports are available on AM associated with native halophytic vegetation on saline soils (Khan 1974; Mason 1928; Wilson and Martneh, 1998; Bryla and Koide 1998). Attempts were made to isolate and study the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi associated with the mangroves, which might be used for raising agricultural crops in saline soils (Pond and Menge 1984).