Tomentella (Thelephorales, Basidiomycota) in Nothofagaceae forests of Patagonia, Argentina: mycorrhizae of new species.

Abstract

Tomentella (Thelephorales, Basidiomycota) in Nothofagaceae forests of Patagonia, Argentina: mycorrhizae of new species. Tomentella is a mycorrhizal genus whose presence in temperate, tropical and circumpolar forests has been widely reported. It typically forms ectomycorrhizae (EM), but also orchidioid, ericoid, monotropoid and arbutoid symbiosis. Tomentella EM morphotypes have consistent morphological and microscopical features, for which reason their description and characterization is a useful tool in environmental research. In this study, detailed morpho-anatomical descriptions of 4 EM Tomentella species associated with Nothofagus pumilio, N. dombeyi, N. antarctica, Lophozonia alpina and L. procera forests are presented, also molecularly determined at species level, and their ecological relevance is discussed. The morphology and type of exploration of the 4 EM were consistent with previous reports for Tomentella species. These EM have no specificity for a single Nothofagaceae host and can be found in at least two species of this family. Our results show that the study of 'EM' morphotypes' morphoanatomy constitutes an irreplaceable tool for quantification and analysis of the functional diversity of EM community.