Diversity of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in Rhizospheres of Camellia japonica and Neighboring Plants Inhabiting Wando of Korea

ABSTRACT: In this study, the community structures of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in rhizospheres of Camellia japonica and neighboring woody plants in Wando, Korea were investigated. Rhizospheres of C. japonica and other woody plants were dominated by the same species, Acaulospora mellea, but Shannon’s index, species richness and total spore numbers of the AMF communities were higher in non-C. japonica than in neighboring plants. Regardless of host plant species, the frequency of A. mellea was significantly high comparing with other AMF species. The community similarity of AMF within C. japonica was significantly higher than between C. japonica and neighboring plants or neighboring plants (p<0.005). Results showed that AM fungal communities in rhizospheres of C. japonica have unique community structure and are different from that of neighborin