Statistical Analysis Of The Mycorrhizae Impact On Communities Of Alpine Meadows

Abstract

The symbiotic association of mycelial fungus with the roots of higher plants (mycorrhiza) has a large and often ambiguous influence on plant communities and their structure. Mycorrhiza acts simultaneously on many features of the community, and, therefore, the assessment of its influence is not an easy task. It requires carefully planned experiments and the use of special methods of statistical analysis. Following a four-year experiment at the high-altitude station of the Moscow State University "Malaya Khatipara" (Teberda Nature Reserve), this article presents the results of data analysis, including two-way replicated analysis of variance (ANOVA). The alpine meadow communities were subjected to treatment with fungicides in order to suppress fungal colonization. It was found that suppression of mycorrhizae always leads to a decrease in the number of forbs dependent on mycorrhizal fungi, an increase in the number of predominantly non-mycorrhizal sedges, and the dynamics of grasses abundance after suppression of mycorrhiza may differ depending on their initial position in the community. Our results also point out the positive role of mycorrhiza in forming species richness in communities of the alpine belt of mountains.