NEW METHODS OF ANALYZING AMF COLONIZATION IN CALAMINARIAN GRASSLANDS
ABSTRACT:
1. Calaminarian grasslands are ecosystems characterized by heavy metal contamination in soils, primarily zinc, lead, and cadmium. Several species of plants and lichens, known as metallophytes, thrive in these conditions as they possess unique abilities to hyperaccumulate metals. Given the difficult conditions, it is not unreasonable to expect that calaminarian grasslands provide the type of environmental pressures which would necessitate some level of inter-species symbiosis. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), for example, have the capacity to exchange nutrients for organic molecules, and there is research to suggest they are able to sequester heavy metals. AMF are known to possess associations with at least 85% of all species of vascular plant living on land, suggesting a high probability of association with indicative calaminarian species. Recent research suggests several traditional methods of quantifying AMF colonization have proven to be subjective, and poorly adaptable. As a result, there are several examples of researchers attempting to develop methods which incorporate new technological advancements like deep-learning programs and scanning root segments for digital analysis.
1. Calaminarian grasslands are ecosystems characterized by heavy metal contamination in soils, primarily zinc, lead, and cadmium. Several species of plants and lichens, known as metallophytes, thrive in these conditions as they possess unique abilities to hyperaccumulate metals. Given the difficult conditions, it is not unreasonable to expect that calaminarian grasslands provide the type of environmental pressures which would necessitate some level of inter-species symbiosis. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), for example, have the capacity to exchange nutrients for organic molecules, and there is research to suggest they are able to sequester heavy metals. AMF are known to possess associations with at least 85% of all species of vascular plant living on land, suggesting a high probability of association with indicative calaminarian species. Recent research suggests several traditional methods of quantifying AMF colonization have proven to be subjective, and poorly adaptable. As a result, there are several examples of researchers attempting to develop methods which incorporate new technological advancements like deep-learning programs and scanning root segments for digital analysis.
2. This study investigated the AMF colonization percentages on calaminarian grassland species from two sites representing different levels of heavy metal contamination and modified an established method of colonization analysis utilizing new technology and an altered staining procedure.
3. The modified scanner grid-intersection method did not prove to be effective, which could be because of technological difficulties dramatically limiting the scale of the study.
4. To conduct analysis on each species despite time and technology constraints, presence or absence estimations of colonization were conducted for each species. AMF was observed on each species, and by eye estimations were conducted.
5. Future research gathering more concrete quantitative data is necessary to make specific determinations on the interactions between metallophytes, AMF colonization, and heavy metal contaminated ecotypes, however this study measuring presence of AMF in each species helped point the direction for further study.
KEYWORDS: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, calaminarian grassland, heavy metal contamination, soils
3. The modified scanner grid-intersection method did not prove to be effective, which could be because of technological difficulties dramatically limiting the scale of the study.
4. To conduct analysis on each species despite time and technology constraints, presence or absence estimations of colonization were conducted for each species. AMF was observed on each species, and by eye estimations were conducted.
5. Future research gathering more concrete quantitative data is necessary to make specific determinations on the interactions between metallophytes, AMF colonization, and heavy metal contaminated ecotypes, however this study measuring presence of AMF in each species helped point the direction for further study.
KEYWORDS: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, calaminarian grassland, heavy metal contamination, soils