DOI: 10.5061/dryad.f7m0cfz6k
title: Elevation gradients and soil characteristics shape arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the Indian mid-Himalaya

description: The Indian mid-Himalayan Region, as a mountainous ecosystem with a range
 of biotic and abiotic conditions, provides a unique opportunity to study
 the diversity of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF). The present
 investigation was conducted to study the AMF diversity across the
 altitudinal gradient, using both molecular and morphological techniques,
 and identifying key soil properties influencing AMF diversity and
 distribution in the Himalayan region. In this study, soil samples were
 collected from diverse land use systems of four districts of the
 Uttarakhand Himalayas ranging in height from ~1200 to 3100m. AMF species
 were identified using a morphological and molecular study of spores
 isolated from collected soil samples. A total of six species were
 identified belonging to 4 genera and 2 families of Glomeromycota. Unlike
 spore density, AMF diversity and community composition were positively
 associated with altitude. Across the sampling sites, the most widely
 distributed species or their relative abundance at Chamoli and Bageshwar
 was Gigaspora margarita (~40 and 37%), while at Almora and
 Nainital, Funneliformis mosseae (~28 and 31%) was the dominant species. In
 a correlation study, AMF spore density was significantly (p&lt;0.01)
 and positively associated with organic carbon, urease, acid phosphatase,
 and root colonization percentage, while negatively associated with
 phosphorus, potassium, and alkaline phosphatase. Overall, the present
 study suggested that the pattern and distribution of the AMF community in
 the Himalayan region are strongly driven by altitude and soil
 characteristics. The findings of the present study will be helpful for
 developing strategies for the AMF multiplication program and their further
 application to augment agricultural productivity and ecological
 restoration in the Himalayan region using reported native AMF species.
description: # Elevation gradients and soil characteristics shape arbuscular
 mycorrhizal fungi in the Indian mid-Himalaya Dataset DOI:
 [10.5061/dryad.f7m0cfz6k](10.5061/dryad.f7m0cfz6k) ## Description of the
 data and file structure The rhizospheric soil samples of 0-18cm were
 collected from diverse land use systems of four districts of Uttarakhand
 during 2020-21. The studied region has a large variation in terms of
 topography, soils, climate, and vegetation type. In order to cover the
 entire region, a total of 75 soils and root samples were collected from
 altitudes of ~1200 to 3100m in forest, agriculture, and natural habitats.
 The collected soil samples were air-dried and passed through a 2 mm sieve,
 and stored for the estimation of soil physico-chemical properties. From
 each sample, approximately 100g of fresh soil was separated for the
 enumeration of the soil biological and mycorrhizal properties. The root
 samples were rinsed with distilled water and stored in 50% ethanol for
 further AMF colonization study. ### Files and variables #### File:
 Data.csv  ##### Variables: **Description: Unit** * *Rhizophagus
 intraradices*: AMF genus and species name * Funneliformis mosseae: AMF
 genus and species name * Funneliformis Coronatus: AMF genus and species
 name * Funneliformis caledonium: AMF genus and species name * Dentiscutata
 savannicola: AMF genus and species name * *Gigaspora* sp: AMF genus name *
 pH: a measure of the acidity or basicity of a solution * EC: electrical
 conductivity: dS/m * OC: soil organic carbon: % * K: soil available
 potassium: kg/ha * P: soil available phosphorus: kg/ha  * N: soil
 available nitrogen: kg/ha * Zn: DTPA extractable zinc: ppm * Cu: DTPA
 extractable copper: ppm * Fe: DTPA extractable iron: ppm * Mn: DTPA
 extractable manganese: ppm * URS: urease enzyme: µg produced per g soil
 per hour * DHA: dehydrogenases: µg produced per g soil per hour  * AP:
 acid phosphatase: µg produced per g soil per hour * ALKP: alkaline
 phosphatase: µg produce per g soil per hour  * BGL :β-glucosidase: µg
 produce per g soil per hour * SD: AMF spore density: per 50g soi * RC: AMF
 root colonization: % * ELV: elevation: meter * Location: site from where
 soil and root samples were collected: - #### File: AccessionReport.tsv
 ##### Variables: **Description** * Accession NCBI Sequence ID: Accession
 number provided by NCBI to the submitted AMF sequences * Release Date:
 Date of accession number released by NCBI to the submitted AMF sequences