Communities of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the environment contaminated with phenol and PAHs

The goal of the study was to characterize the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities in an aged phenol and PAH contaminated post-industrial site, referring to the uncontaminated control site. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi were studied in the mycorrhizosphere of Poa trivialis and Phragmites australis - two species dominant in the plant communities at the studied sites. The community structure of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) is functionally adjusted to the life-history traits of a host and environmental conditions. Studying the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities is critical for understanding their role in the maintenance of ecosystem integrity and evaluating the condition of disturbed ecosystems.