Elevation gradients and soil characteristics shape arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the Indian mid-Himalaya

The Indian mid-Himalayan Region, as a mountainous ecosystem with a range of biotic and abiotic conditions, provides a unique opportunity to study the diversity of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF). The present investigation was conducted to study the AMF diversity across the altitudinal gradient, using both molecular and morphological techniques, and identifying key soil properties influencing AMF diversity and distribution in the Himalayan region. In this study, soil samples were collected from diverse land use systems of four districts of the Uttarakhand Himalayas ranging in height from ~1200 to 3100m. AMF species were identified using a morphological and molecular study of spores isolated from collected soil samples. A total of six species were identified belonging to 4 genera and 2 families of Glomeromycota. Unlike spore density, AMF diversity and community composition were positively associated with altitude. Across the sampling sites, the most widely distributed species or their ..., , , # Elevation gradients and soil characteristics shape arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the Indian mid-Himalaya

Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.f7m0cfz6k](10.5061/dryad.f7m0cfz6k)

## Description of the data and file structure

The rhizospheric soil samples of 0-18cm were collected from diverse land use systems of four districts of Uttarakhand during 2020-21. The studied region has a large variation in terms of topography, soils, climate, and vegetation type. In order to cover the entire region, a total of 75 soils and root samples were collected from altitudes of ~1200 to 3100m in forest, agriculture, and natural habitats. The collected soil samples were air-dried and passed through a 2 mm sieve, and stored for the estimation of soil physico-chemical properties. From each sample, approximately 100g of fresh soil was separated for the enumeration of the soil biological and mycorrhizal properties. The root samples were rinsed with distilled water and stored in 50% ethanol for further AMF colon...,