Title

Mycorrhizal abundance in aerial versus terrestrial roots among the climbing Araceae of the Monteverde Cloud Forest

Alternative Title

La abundancia de micorrizas en las raíces aéreas versus terrestres en medio del Araceae trepadora del Bosque Nuboso de Monteverde

Creator

Sydney Glassman

Files

Publication Date

May 2007

Abstract

Climbing plants of the family Araceae are a prominent feature of the Monteverde Cloud Forest in Costa Rica. Aerial and terrestrial roots were collected from two species of climbing aroids Syngonium sp A (n = 15) and Philodendron aurantifolium (n = 17) and analyzed for mycorrhizae presence and abundance. Evidence of mycorrhizae infection was found in every plant sampled, and percent abundance of mycorrhizae in the aerial roots of Syngonium sp A ranged from 7.9-90%, while the mycorrhizal cover ranged from 5.3-38% in terrestrial roots. Mycorrhizal cover in the aerial roots of P. aurantifolium ranged from 8.2-57%, and from 4-33% in terrestrial roots. While a significant difference was not found between the aerial and terrestrial roots of P. aurantifolium (Paired t-test, t = 1.74, p = 0.10), mycorrhizae was significantly more abundant in the aerial roots of Syngonium sp A than in the terrestrial roots (Paired t-test, t = 3.11, p = 0.008). Additionally, individuals of the species Syngonium sp A experienced on average a greater percentage of mycorrhizal infections in their aerial roots than did P. aurantifolium individuals (Unpaired t-test, t = 2.19, p = 0.036). No difference in mycorrhizal infection was detected in terrestrial roots (Unpaired t-test, t = 0.19, p = 0.849). This report confirms the presence of mycorrhizae in two species of tropical climbing aroids, and suggests that aerial roots of an individual climbing plant may harbor on average more mycorrhizal infections than their respective terrestrial roots. Las plantas escaladoras de la familia Araceae son una característica prominente del Bosque Nuboso de Monteverde en Costa Rica.

Keywords

Mycorrhizal fungi, Hongos micorrizas, Roots (Botany), Raices (Botanica), Monteverde Biological Station (Costa Rica), Estacion Biologica de Monteverde (Costa Rica), Costa Rica--Puntarenas--Monteverde Zone--Cerro Plano, Costa Rica--Puntarenas--Zona de Monteverde--Cerro Plano, CIEE Spring 2007, CIEE Primavera 2007

Description

Student affiliation : Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania Born Digital

Subject: topical

Mycorrhizal fungi; Hongos micorrizas; Roots (Botany); Raices (Botanica); CIEE Spring 2007; CIEE Primavera 2007

Subject: geographic

Monteverde Biological Station (Costa Rica); Estacion Biologica de Monteverde (Costa Rica); Costa Rica--Puntarenas--Monteverde Zone--Cerro Plano; Costa Rica--Puntarenas--Zona de Monteverde--Cerro Plano

Genre

Reports

Holding Location

Monteverde Institute MVI

Identifier

M39-00390

Recommended Citation

Glassman, Sydney, "Mycorrhizal abundance in aerial versus terrestrial roots among the climbing Araceae of the Monteverde Cloud Forest" (2007). Tropical Ecology and Conservation [Monteverde Institute]. 294.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/tropical_ecology/294