Mycorrhizal Associations in the Fagaceae Along an Elevation Gradient in the Sikkim Himalaya

Xavier, Aleena (2017) Mycorrhizal Associations in the Fagaceae Along an Elevation Gradient in the Sikkim Himalaya. Masters thesis, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata.

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Abstract

Mycorrhizal associations are one of the important factors which affect the distribution and abundance of plants. Distribution and abundance of mycorrhizae is dependent on various biotic and abiotic factors which change along an elevation. That is why it becomes important to study how mycorrhizal associations are changing with elevation.In this study I am trying to find out how the mycorrhizal associations are changing with elevation in the fagaceae family of plants in Sikkim, Eastern Himalayan region. This study covers 6 species of plants belonging to 3 genera- Castanopsis, Quercus and Lithocarpus and covers an elevation range of 1616m-2183m. I am looking at how morphological characteristics, percent root colonization and number of mycorrhizal species associated with the plant change with change in elevation with a combination of microscopic analysis and molecular analysis. Molecular analysis was done by looking at the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) region of the mycorrhizal fungi which is used for fungal barcoding. Certain morphological features showed change with elevation whereas certain morphological characteristics were observed at all the elevation studied. Percent colonization shows a linear increase with increase in altitude and the number of taxonomic units of mycorrhizal fungi associated with plant does not show any correlation with elevation.

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