Host age and surrounding vegetation affect the community and colonization rates of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in a temperate grassland

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are important symbionts for the majority of terrestrial vascular plants, yet drivers compositional variation in AMF communities need to be better understood. What effects does ontogenetic stage host plants have and do these differ between plant functional groups? Are modified by properties surrounding vegetation, such as proportion different groups or nonmycorrhizal ? We addressed questions a temperate grassland studied using next-generation sequencing light microscopy, evaluating their composition, taxonomic, phylogenetic diversity, traits root colonization levels. found differences diversity seedlings adults which larger than among species groups. The affected community composition increased its richness. Our results highlight further investigating existence common mycelial networks. decision use experimental work can affect more chosen species.