Investigating the Effects of Future Climate on Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal Spore Dynamics in a Belgian Pear Orchard Ecosystem

Chloë Vercauteren , Vera Claessens, Nadia Soudzilovskaia

Climate change affects soil microbial communities, including arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), which play a crucial role in plant resilience and nutrient uptake. This study examines the impact of projected climate change (2040) on AMF spore diversity, composition, and temporal dynamics in Belgian pear orchards using an advanced Ecotron facility. By simulating present (2013-2018) and future (2040) climate conditions under the RCP 8.5 scenario, AMF community responses were assessed in response to climate change. The results indicate that overall AMF spore abundance remained stable between climate periods, suggesting resilience to climate change. Glomeraceae consistently exhibited higher spore abundance than Gigasporaceae across all seasons, but species composition remained unaffected by climate change. However, seasonal shifts in spore production were observed, with a pronounced mid-summer peak in Glomeraceae spore counts in 2013-2018, which diminished by 2040 leading to a more stable distribution across seasons. This shift suggests that climate change may influence AMF phenology, altering phenological patterns rather than overall species abundance and composition. These findings contribute to understanding how AMF communities respond to climate change, revealing potential phenological. While this study focuses on a specific Belgian context, broader and long-term studies are needed to fully assess AMF adaptability under future climatic conditions. Our research advances the understanding of climate-driven dynamics of AMF in agricultural systems, providing insights into sustainable crop production and soil fertility under future climate conditions.