Forest conversion into cacao agroforestry and cacao plantation change the diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

Abstract

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), a plant root-fungus association, has been studied widely across different ecosystems. However, little information provided in tropical land use systems. Here, we studied the diversity of AMF in the forest, cacao agroforestry, and cacao plantation. A preliminary survey was done to estimate the AMF richness and diversity. This study reveals an interesting fundamental finding where AMF richness and diversity were significantly higher in the plantation compared to the natural ecosystem. AMF communities were significantly affected mixed vegetation in the forest and became a generalist in an agroecosystem of the cocoa plantation. Presented results indicate that AMF diversity and community structure are influenced by vegetation and ecological conditions.