COMPOSITION OF COMMUNITIES OF ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI IN AGROECOSYSTEMS OF THE USUMACINTA CANYON FLORA AND FAUNA PROTECTION AREA IN TABASCO, MÉXICO

Background. The mutualistic interaction with Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) is one of the main strategies used by plants to improve their absorption of nutrients and cope with adverse environmental conditions. They are ubiquitous microorganisms that help maintain soil health and crop nutrition, which is why they are considered an essential component in agroecosystems. However, its presence is affected by multiple biotic and abiotic factors such as tree cover and management intensity. Objective. Evaluate and compare the AMF communities and tree cover of the main agroecosystems present in the Usumacinta Canyon Flora and Fauna Protection Area (APFFCU) in the humid tropics of southeastern México. Methodology. The abundance of spores and the number of AMF morphospecies and the density and diversity of trees were counted in 25 plots of the agroecosystems Potrero (P), Milpa (M), Huerto Familiar (HF), Acahual (A) and Plantación Forestal (PF). An Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was applied to the set of data obtained from each variable to detect the presence of significant differences between each of the agroecosystems evaluated. Likewise, to observe the effect between the variables, the Pearson correlation analysis was carried out. Finally, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was carried out to visualize the grouping of the study plots. Results. The ANOVA detected significant differences when comparing the variables of interest. The highest abundance of spores was found in P and PF, while A and PF presented the highest richness of AMF morphospecies. Acaulosporaceae and Glomeraceae were the most representative families and Acaulospora kentinensis was the only morphospecies that was observed in all the agroecosystems evaluated. The highest values of tree density and diversity were observed in A. The lowest tree density was present in P and the lowest tree diversity in PF. The PCA allowed us to group the plots with the highest tree density, spore abundance and morphospecies richness on average. Implications. The information derived from this study highlights the importance of the presence of trees in agricultural productivity and the design of long-term sustainable agroecosystems. Conclusion. It was concluded that the AMF communities of the agroecosystems evaluated in the APFFCU vary in spore abundance and morphospecies richness, which is correlated with the characteristics of their tree cover.