Fungal root colonization and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi diversity in soils of grasslands with different mowing intensities

Grasslands are among the most dynamic and threatened plant communities, largely due to their dependence on management that has changed in recent decades. The intensity of human-induced disturbances (primarily removal of plant biomass by various methods) has decreased, leading to changes in plant species composition and declines in plant diversity in these communities. So far, no studies have shown how mowing affects fungal communities in both roots and soils and their relation with plant community parameters and soil chemical properties in different grassland types. We thus compared the impact of mowing intensity (low, moderate, high) on root colonization by common root-inhabiting fungi, namely arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), dark septate endophytes (DSE), and Olpidium spp., as well as on AMF spore number, species richness and composition in soils for three seasons (spring, summer, autumn), in grasslands differing in soil moisture (wet, moderately wet, and dry). Mowing intensity had no effect on the fungal root colonization. The number of AMF spores and species, and AMF species composition did not differ between types of management as well. However, most of the fungal parameters in roots and soils varied across the types of grassland and/or seasons. Our results suggest that AMF, DSE, and Olpidium spp. colonization of plants as well as AMF diversity in soils in the studied grasslands are resilient to the mowing disturbance. This may be due to the low impact of the management on plant species richness and soil chemical properties, as well as the adaptation of these fungal communities to recurrent humaninduced disturbances in semi-natural habitats.