Rich and cold: diversity, distribution and drivers of fungal communities in patterned‐ground ecosystems of the North American Arctic

• Published in: Molecular Ecology
• Main Authors: Timling, I., Walker, D. A., Nusbaum, C., Lennon, N. J., Taylor, D. L.
• Other Authors: National Science Foundation, Office of Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, International Arctic Research Center, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, University of Alaska, Graduate School, University of Alaska, Institute of Arctic Biology
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 2014
• Subjects: Arctic
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/mec.12743; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fmec.12743; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/mec.12743

Abstract Fungi are abundant and functionally important in the A rctic, yet comprehensive studies of their diversity in relation to geography and environment are not available. We sampled soils in paired plots along the N orth A merican A rctic T ransect ( NAAT ), which spans all five bioclimatic subzones of the A rctic. Each pair of plots contrasted relatively bare, cryoturbated patterned‐ground features ( PGF s) and adjacent vegetated between patterned‐ground features (b PGF s). Fungal communities were analysed via sequencing of 7834 ITS ‐ LSU clones. We recorded 1834 OTU s – nearly half the fungal richness previously reported for the entire A rctic. These OTU s spanned eight phyla, 24 classes, 75 orders and 120 families, but were dominated by Ascomycota, with one‐fifth belonging to lichens. Species richness did not decline with increasing latitude, although there was a decline in mycorrhizal taxa that was offset by an increase in lichen taxa. The dominant OTU s were widespread even beyond the A rctic, demonstrating no dispersal limitation. Yet fungal communities were distinct in each subzone and were correlated with soil p H , climate and vegetation. Communities in subzone E were distinct from the other subzones, but similar to those of the boreal forest. Fungal communities on disturbed PGF s differed significantly from those of paired stable areas in b PGF s. Indicator species for PGF s included lichens and saprotrophic fungi, while bPGF s were characterized by ectomycorrhizal and pathogenic fungi. Our results suggest that the A rctic does not host a unique mycoflora, while A rctic fungi are highly sensitive to climate and vegetation, with potential to migrate rapidly as global change unfolds.