Spores of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi inhabiting inside mossballs of Rigodium implexum

Roberto Godoy, Paula Aguilera, Javier Retamal, Erwin Guzmán Riffo, Lara J. Fox, Ava M. Cooper, Constanza Martínez Manzano, César Marín

The spores of four species of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (Phylum: Glomeromycota): Acaulospora laevis, Acaulospora sieverdingii, Ambispora gerdemannii, and Dominikia aurea, were found inhabiting inside mosballs formed by Rigodium implexum at two forest sites in southern Chile. These species were identified through morphological keys. R. implexum mossballs are usually 10-20 cm in diameter, unattached, and globose, and are found in large masses on the forest floor of Valdivian temperate rainforests. This phenomenon is reported for the first time, and possible co-dispersion mechanisms require further research. A methodology to extract Glomeromycota spores from this type of plant material is also presented.