TY - JOUR
T1 - Research on arbuscular mycorrhizae in Mexico
T2 - An historical synthesis and future prospects
AU - Montaño, Noé Manuel
AU - Alarcón, Alejandro
AU - Camargo-Ricalde, Sara Lucía
AU - Hernández-Cuevas, Laura Verónica
AU - Álvarez-Sánchez, Javier
AU - González-Chávez, Ma Del Carmen A.
AU - Gavito, Mayra E.
AU - Sánchez-Gallen, Irene
AU - Ramos-Zapata, José
AU - Guadarrama, Patricia
AU - Maldonado-Mendoza, Ignacio E.
AU - Castillo-Argüero, Silvia
AU - García-Sánchez, Rosalva
AU - Trejo, Dora
AU - Ferrera-Cerrato, Ronald
N1 - Funding Information:
Special thanks to Lucia Varela for her significant contributions on the study of mycorrhizal symbiosis in Mexico, and to Eduardo Chimal, Claudia De la Rosa-Mera, Ma. Jesús Sánchez-Colín, and Susana Adriana Montaño-Arias for their inputs. We also thank the critical comments of four anonymous reviewers and David Richardson who helped us to considerably improve the manuscript for publication. N.M. Montaño acknowledges Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa (UAM-I), Mexico, for a PROMEP-SEP fellowship. †
PY - 2012/7
Y1 - 2012/7
N2 - This review analyzes the historical development and advances of the research on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in Mexico, as well as the prospects for future research. AMF-research has been focused on studying both diversity and functionality in several ecosystems of Mexico, but mainly in the tropical dry and rainy ecosystems, and the agricultural systems. In Mexico, 95 species of AMF have been recorded, representing 41% of the known species worldwide. The functional effects of AMF colonization have been examined in approximately 10% of the known host plants, but greenhouse studies continue to dominate over those conducted under field conditions. Even though research to date has been at the organismic level, further effort is needed due to the high plant diversity in Mexico. Studies on AMF biomass under field conditions and more taxonomic determination are required based on morphological features, biochemical determinations (fatty acids) and molecular tools. In addition, ecophysiological and ecological in situ studies would help in understanding the relationships among AMF, soil fauna, nutrients, and host plants. The contribution of AMF to ecosystemic processes is a priority line of research that requires an integrated approach (inter- and multidisciplinary) in order to define the role of AM symbioses for biogeochemical models. The creation of a Mexican mycorrhizal research network has and will help to identify the main challenges. Generating similar research protocols, and sharing databases and experience will assist mycorrhizologists working under the diverse financial and ecological contexts that is to be found in Mexico and Latin America.
AB - This review analyzes the historical development and advances of the research on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in Mexico, as well as the prospects for future research. AMF-research has been focused on studying both diversity and functionality in several ecosystems of Mexico, but mainly in the tropical dry and rainy ecosystems, and the agricultural systems. In Mexico, 95 species of AMF have been recorded, representing 41% of the known species worldwide. The functional effects of AMF colonization have been examined in approximately 10% of the known host plants, but greenhouse studies continue to dominate over those conducted under field conditions. Even though research to date has been at the organismic level, further effort is needed due to the high plant diversity in Mexico. Studies on AMF biomass under field conditions and more taxonomic determination are required based on morphological features, biochemical determinations (fatty acids) and molecular tools. In addition, ecophysiological and ecological in situ studies would help in understanding the relationships among AMF, soil fauna, nutrients, and host plants. The contribution of AMF to ecosystemic processes is a priority line of research that requires an integrated approach (inter- and multidisciplinary) in order to define the role of AM symbioses for biogeochemical models. The creation of a Mexican mycorrhizal research network has and will help to identify the main challenges. Generating similar research protocols, and sharing databases and experience will assist mycorrhizologists working under the diverse financial and ecological contexts that is to be found in Mexico and Latin America.
KW - AMF in ecosystems
KW - Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi diversity
KW - Mexico
KW - Mycorrhizal Research
KW - Symbiosis
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84868191510&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s13199-012-0184-0
DO - 10.1007/s13199-012-0184-0
M3 - Artículo de revisión
SN - 0334-5114
VL - 57
SP - 111
EP - 126
JO - Symbiosis
JF - Symbiosis
IS - 3
ER -