O objetivo deste trabalho foi testar um manejo Alternativo em um pomar convencional de Tangerina Murcote (Citrus reticulata, Blanco X Citrus sinensis, Osbeck) enxertadas sobre limão cravo (Citrus limonia, Osbeck), com utilização de composto fermentado Bokashi, avaliando seu efeito sobre a compactação do solo, colonização radicular de fungos micorrízico arbusculares (FMA) nativos, desempenho nutricional, produção e as características tecnológicas dos frutos. O experimento foi delineado separando-se um hectare dentro de um talhão em produção, com 10 anos de idade, onde foram suspensas as aplicações de fertilizantes e defensivos químicos, inclusive os herbicidas, substituindo-os por fontes de nutrientes de baixa solubilidade, de forma que viessem incentivar as interações biológicas, em especial as associações micorrízicas. Para estimular a cobertura vegetal, foi aplicado o composto fermentado Bokashi sobre a vegetação espontânea da linha e entrelinha, procedendo-se o roço mecânico, cuja área foi denominada ‘tratamento Alternativo’. Uma área equivalente e contígua, onde os tratos culturais e fitossanitários convencionais foram mantidos, foi utilizada para fins de comparação, sendo esta denominada ‘tratamento Convencional’. Os parâmetros eleitos para comparação foram: resistência do solo à penetração, densidade radicular superficial, colonização de fungos micorrízicos arbusculares nativos, assim como a quantidade de esporos viáveis no solo, análise de conteúdo de nutriente foliar e produtividade e qualidade de fruto, sendo avaliadas 10 parcelas de 3 plantas para cada tratamento. O manejo Alternativo, com aplicação de composto fermentado Bokashi sobre a vegetação espontânea na entrelinha, propiciou maior cobertura vegetal, 107,5% a mais, avaliado em janeiro de 2005, principalmente de gramíneas, a qual reduziu a resistência do solo à penetração ao longo do experimento, denotando melhora no estado de compactação do solo em relação ao tratamento Convencional. Também, houve melhor desenvolvimento do sistema radicular superficial, maior índice de colonização radicular de fungos micorrízicos arbusculares (FMA) nativos nas plantas do tangor ‘Murcott’, em média 10% superior, e em conseqüência, maior quantidade de esporos viáveis no solo, sendo em média 23% superior ao tratamento Convencional. Em termos nutricionais, a quantidade aportada de K no tratamento Alternativo não foi suficiente para suprir adequadamente as necessidades das plantas, demonstrando que é preciso dar maior atenção a esse nutriente nas propostas alternativas de manejo para citros. O teor de B foliar se apresentou significativamente superior e em níveis crescentes ao longo do experimento, atingindo patamares 280% maiores do que o tratamento Convencional, com teores de até 161,35 mg.kg-1, resultado altamente desejável para este nutriente em citros. Apesar da redução na produtividade inicialmente, o tratamento Alternativo foi superior em massa de frutos por planta na última avaliação, em agosto de 2004, sendo 58,2 kg. planta-1 contra 42,9 kg.planta-1 do Convencional, embora o tamanho dos frutos e a acidez total tenham sido prejudicados pela deficiência do K. Isso demonstra que em pomar de idade avançada o manejo alternativo deve ser adotado de forma gradual. Em avaliações complementares foi observado que o manejo Alternativo proporcionou melhor equilíbrio na população de Orthezia praelonga, tendo 0,54% das plantas atacadas, contra 14,06% no manejo Convencional. / The objective of this study was to test an alternative management in a conventional orchard of ‘Murcott’ tangor (Citrus reticulata, Blanco X Citrus sinensis, Osbeck) grafted on rangpur lime (Citrus limonia, Osbeck) using fermented compost Bokashi, in order to evaluate its effect on soil decompaction, root colonization of indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), nutritional performance, yield and technological characteristics of fruits. The experiment was set by separating one hectare plot in a ten year old yielding orchard, where chemicals fertilizers and pesticides, including herbicides, were discontinued and replacing them by sources of low solubility nutrients and alternative pest control, with the purpose to encouraging the biological interactions, mainly mycorrhizal associations. To stimulate vegetal covering, a fermented compost Bokashi was applied on the spontaneous vegetation of the row e interrow, mechanical clearing was used, and the area was designated ‘alternative treatment’. An equivalent and adjoining area, where conventional cultural and phythosanitary treatments were maintained was used for comparative purposes, and was designated ‘conventional treatment’. The parameters chosen for comparison were: soil resistance to penetration, surface root density, colonization of indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, as well as amount of viable spores in the soil, analysis of foliar nutrient content, and fruit yield and quality. Ten plots of 3 plants per each treatment were evaluated. The alternative management with application of fermented compost Bokashi on the spontaneous vegetation on the interrow provided a 107.5% increase in vegetal covering, mainly grasses, measured in January 2005, which decreased soil resistance to penetration and resulted in an improvement in soil compaction state as compared with the conventional treatment. Also, there were an improved development of surface root systems, a higher rate of root colonization of indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in plants of ‘Murcott’ tangor, averaging 10% higher and, consequently, a higher amount of viable spores in the soil, an average of 23% higher than of the conventional treatment. In nutritional terms, the input of K in the alternative treatment was not enough to supply adequately the needs of the plants, indicating that more attention is required in relation to this nutrient in alternative proposals of citrus management. The foliar content of B was shown to be significantly higher and at increasing rates along the experiment, reaching levels 280% higher than those of the conventional treatment, having reached contents of up to 161.35 mg.kg-1, a highly desirable result for citrus nutrition. Despite the initial yield decrease, the alternative treatment showed a higher fruit mass per plant in the last evaluation in August 2004, i.e. 58.2 kg.plant-1 against 42.9 kg.plant-1 in the conventional treatment, even though fruit size and total acidity were impaired by K deficiency. This shows that, in older aged orchard, an alternative management should be introduced gradually. Subsequent appraisals showed that the alternative treatment provide a better equilibrium in the population of Orthezia praelonga, i.e. 0.54% of attacked plants against 14.06% in the conventional treatment.

A degradação de extensas áreas devido às atividades mineradoras a céu aberto tem trazido sérios prejuízos econômicos e, principalmente, graves danos ao ambiente. Esse tipo de atividade, além de alterar as características originais dos solos, levam a perda de grande parte de seus conteúdos de matéria orgânica e da biodiversidade natural, condições básicas para uma atividade biológica sustentável. A revegetação dos solos dessas áreas, com o objetivo de restabelecer suas características químicas, físicas e biológicas a um nível mínimo que permita o desenvolvimento de espécies vegetais e da atividade microbiana, tão importante no estabelecimento e sucessão da macrobiota, constitui-se numa prática muito recomendada. O objetivo dessa tese foi avaliar o potencial de reabilitação do solo degradado de uma área de mineração de cassiterita na região da Floresta Nacional do Jamari-RO, através de ensaios experimentais em casa-devegetação, utilizando-se a revegetação do rejeito com seis espécies de crescimento rápido e o manejo de microrganismos simbiontes fixadores do N2 e fungos micorrízicos arbusculares, associados ou não à adubação com composto orgânico e termofosfato. As espécies avaliadas foram Canavalia ensiformis, Cajanus cajan, Acacia mangium, Parkia multijuga, Schinus terebinthifolia e Inga edulis. Em casa-de-vegetação, os ensaios mostraram efeito significativo da aplicação do composto orgânico para todas as espécies cultivadas. A associação da adubação orgânica com a inoculação micorrízica produziu maiores incrementos no peso da matéria seca da parte aérea de C. cajan, A. mangium e S. terebinthifolia do que a adubação com composto orgânico sem inoculação micorrízica. As leguminosas nodulíferas C. cajan e A. mangium também produziram mais matéria seca de nódulos quando associadas à adubação orgânica e fungos micorrízicos. À exceção de P. multijuga, a acumulação de N e P na parte aérea foi aumentada na presença do composto orgânico em todas as espécies porém, em C. cajan, A. mangium e S. terebinthifolia, esse acúmulo foi maior nas plantas micorrizadas. Na ausência de adubação com composto orgânico algumas espécies micorrizadas mostraram maior eficiência na utilização do termofosfato. O pH do rejeito após cultivo foi sempre maior do que aquele do rejeito original. Entretanto, nos vasos que continham plantas inoculadas com FMA e adubadas com composto orgânico, este incremento foi menor. A inoculação com FMA contribuiu para o aumento da quantidade de micélio externo total para a maioria das espécies cultivadas no rejeito. Pelos resultados obtidos, podemos concluir que, para o sucesso da revegetação do rejeito de mineração de cassiterita, a adição de composto orgânico é essencial para o estabelecimento das plantas e da microbiota do solo. As plantas inoculadas com fungos micorrízicos e adubadas com composto orgânico se desenvolvem melhor no rejeito do que as plantas não micorrizadas. As espécies vegetais devem ser selecionadas preferencialmente entre as micotróficas e as nodulíferas, uma vez que podem se estabelecer no ambiente com um menor aporte de insumos e com práticas de manejo menos onerosas. / The increasing degraded soil areas caused by open cast mining activities has brought critical damages to the environment. The mine spoil must be ameliorated with anthropogenic interferences, consisting of revegetating soils, introducing organic matter and microbial diversity, basic conditions for a sustainable soil biological activity. The objective of this thesis was to evaluate the rehabilitation potential of a mine spoil area by cultivating fast growing plant species and inoculating rhizobia and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, in the presense or absence of organic compost or thermophosphate. Thus, six plant species were cultivated under green-house conditions, to evaluate the potential of plant establishment on a cassiterite mining waste. Shoot height and dry weight, substrate pH, N and P shoot content, external mycelium and root nodule numbers and dry weight were determined. Fertilization with organic compost and mycorrhizal inoculation improved shoot dry weight of C. cajan, A. mangium and S. terebinthifolia and root nodule dry weight of the nodulating legumes. N and P shoot contents were higher in plants that were inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and fertilized with organic compost. The soil pH after cultivation was always much higher than the initial pH, somewhat in the presense of organic compost and mycorrhizal inoculation of plants. External mycelium in the mining waste increased with mycorrhizal inoculation. We can conclude that for a successful revegetation of cassiterite mining spoil the addition of organic matter is essencial for plant and microrganism establishment. It provides a better nutrient cycling and improves chemical and physical substrate characteristics. Plants inoculated with mycorrhizal fungi and growing in the presense of compost developded much better than non-mycorrhizal plants. Species selected for revegetation should be preferencially mycotrohphic and nodulating legumes as they will grow well even without the use of expensive fertilizers and management practices.

Os solos de terra firme da Amazônia são representados em sua maioria por Latossolos e Argissolos de alta acidez e baixa fertilidade, além de serem facilmente alterados fisicamente com a substituição da floresta primária por cultivos intensivos. O uso de estratégias biológicas, entre as quais se destacam as associaçãos micorrízicas arbusculares, no aperfeiçoamento de sistemas de manejo que racionalizem o uso dos recursos naturais da região, é fundamental para o desenvolvimento econômico contínuo, socialmente justo e ambientalmente sustentável. Para tanto, é necessário melhor entendimento de aspectos ecológicos da comunidade de fungos MA, com o fim de manejá-los. Dentro desse contexto, o objetivo dessa tese foi avaliar a simbiose micorrízica e as comunidades de fungos MA associados à pupunha (Bactris gasipaes Kunth) e ao cupuaçu (Theobroma grandiflorum Willd ex Spring Schum), quando cultivados em sistema agroflorestal (SAF) e em monocultivo, além de estimar a diversidade de comunidades de fungos MA associados às raízes de pupunha através de sequenciamento de mini biblieotecas de amplicons de região do gene ribossomal 18S. Foram realizadas coletas de solo e raízes em duas estações, seca e chuvosa. A colonização micorrízica arbuscular no cupuaçu e na pupunha foi alterada pelo sistema de manejo adotado, sendo observadas maiores taxas de colonização no sistema de monocultivo. A dinâmica sazonal da colonização micorrízica arbuscular foi diferente em cupuaçu e pupunha. A densidade total dos esporos de fungos MA sob o cupuaçu não foi alterada pelo manejo ou pela estação. O tipo de efeito do sistema de manejo na densidade total de esporos de fungos MA sob a pupunha foi diferente nas duas estações. O número de populações de fungos MA encontrados nos agrossistemas de cupuaçu e pupunha foi elevado, com grande número de espécies de freqüência considerada rara. As espécies A. mellea, A. aff. mellea e G. macrocarpum foram as mais freqüentes no cupuaçu e na pupunha em todos os sistemas de manejo. O manejo adotado alterou a composição das comunidades de fungos MA associados à pupunha, não sendo esse efeito muito claro no cupuaçu. O cupuaçu e a pupunha apresentaram comunidades de fungos MA com alta diversidade de espécies de fungos MA, independente do sistema de cultivo. O sequenciamento de mini bibliotecca de amplicons de região do gene rDNA 18S se mostrou viável na avaliação da diversidade de fungos MA, revelando alta diversidade genética desses fungos associados às raízes de pupunha. / The upland soils from the Central Amazon region are characterized by natural low fertility and easy physical degradation due to their conversion from forest to intensive crop systems. The use of biological strategies, including the arbuscular mycorrhizal association, to improve the management of agricultural systems adapted to this environment, may be essential for the sustainable development of the Amazon region. Therefore, it is necessary to learn about ecological aspects concerning arbuscular mycorrizal fungi communities. Thus, the objective of this thesis was to evaluate the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis and the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi communities associated with peach palm (Bactris gasipaes Kunth) and cupuaçu (Theobroma grandiflorum Willd ex Spring Schum) in agroforestry systems and monoculture. Also, we aimed to estimate the diversity of the AM fungi communities in peachpalm roots by sequencing of 18S rDNA amplicons to build mini library. The soil and root samples were collected in the field, in dry and rainy season. Mycorrhizal root colonization of cupuaçu and peach palm was affected by the management systems, with higher colonization rates observed in the monoculture systems. The seasonal dynamic of root colonization was different in cupuaçu and peach palm. The total spore density of MA fungi under cupuaçu was not affected by management systems or season. The management system effect on the total spore density of MA fungi under peach palm was different in the dry and rainy season. A high total number of MA fungi species was found in peachpalm and cupuaçu agrosystems, with mostly rare species. The species A. mellea, A. aff. mellea and G. macrocarpum were most common in both management systems and plant species. The AM fungi community composition associated with peachpalm was strongly affected by management systems, which did not show up clearly in cupuaçu. Cupuaçu and peach palm presented a high diversity in AM fungi communities, independent of the management systems. The sequencing of 18S rDNA amplicons mini library to estimate the diversity of the AM fungi community in peach palm roots confirmed that there is a very great diversity inside the roots, as also found in the rhizosphere.

Célèbres depuis l'accident de Seveso en 1976, les dioxines/furanes (PCCD/F) restent, malgré une forte baisse de leurs émissions, un sujet de préoccupation permanent en France et dans le monde. Le rémanence de ces composés organochlorés dans le sol et le risque toxique qu'ils représentent pour l'homme et l'environnement font que la gestion et la remédiation des sols contaminés par les PCDD/F sont devenues une priorité des industriels, législateurs et scientifiques. La phytoremédiation compte parmi les méthodes émergentes de dépollution des sols contaminés en raison de son adéquation avec le développement durable. Elle combine les capacités naturelles des plantes et de leur microbiote rhizosphérique à biodégrader les polluants organiques. Cependant, l'efficacité de cette phytotechnologie est encore souvent limitée, en particulier lorsqu'il s'agit de composés chlorés, à cause de leur récalcitrance, de leur phytotoxicité et leur faible biodisponibilité dans le sol. Ainsi, l'objectif de ce travail de thèse a consisté à étudier les performances de la phytoremédition assistée, en particulier par les champignons mycorhiziens arbusculaires, d'un sol agricole historiquement pollué par les PCDD/F prélevé sur une parcelle expérimentale située à proximité d'un ancien incinérateur. L'ensemble des résultats obtenus mettent en évidence, en particulier, le potentiel de deux espèces végétales, la luzerne et la fétuque, dans la rhizodégradation des PCCDD/F. La végétalisation du sol permet de moduler les communautés microbiennes du sol (bactéries, Archées et champignons) et notamment celles qui semblent impliquées dans la dissipation des PCCDD/F. En revanche, bien que la mycorhization agisse sur les communautés microbiennes du sol, celle-ci n'a pas eu d'impact, dans nos conditions expérimentales, sur la dissipation des PCCDD/F quelles que soit l'origine de l'inoculum utilisé et les espèces mycorhiziennes qui le compose. La dégradation de ces composés organochlorés est plus marquée dans un sol préalablement stérilisé, puis recolonisé par certaines communautés microbiennes spécifiques, impliquées dans la dissipation des PCCDD/F. L'utilisation combinée d'un mélange de rhamnolipides avec l'introduction dans le sol d'une bactérie Sphingomonas wittichii RWI, décrite pour ses capacités de dégradation des PCCDD/F, permet d'accroitre l'efficience de la rhizodégradation des PCDD/F qui se traduit par une baisse significative de la cytotoxicité du sol après phytoremédiation. / Famous since the Seveso accident in 1976, dioxins/furans (PCCD/F) remain, despite a sharp decline in emissions, a subject of permanent concern in France and in the world. The remanence of these organochlored compounds in soil and the toxic risk they represent for humans and the environment mean that the management and remediation of PCDD/F contaminated soil has become a priority for industrialists, legislators and scientists. Phytoremediation is one of the emerging depollution methods of contaminated soils due to Its suitability for sustainable development. It combines the natural capacities of plants and their rhizospheric microbiota to biodegrade organic pollutants. However, the effectiveness of this phytotechnology is still often limited, especially in the case of chlorinated compounds, due to their recalcitrance, phytotoxicity and low bioavailability in the soil. Thus, the thesis aims to study the performance of assisted phytoremission, in particular by mycorrhizal fungi, of an agricultural PCDD / F based-polluted soil from an experimental plot near an old incinerator. The results obtained show the potential of two plant species, alfalfa and tall fescue, in the rhizodegradation of PCCDD/F. Soil vegetation shows to modulate soil microbial communities (bacteria, archaea and fungi) includind those that appear to involved in the dissipation of the PCCDD/F. On the other hand, although mycorrhization affects soil microbial communities, it has not had any impact on the dissipation of PCCDD/F in our experimental conditions, whatever the inoculums origin and the mycorrhizal species which compose it. The degradation of these organochlorined compounds is more significant in a previously sterilized soil and then recolonized by specific microbial communities involved in the PCCDD/Fdissipation. The combined use of rhamnolipids mixture and Sphingomonas wittichii RWI bactrerium described for its degradation capabilities of PCCDD/F makes it possible to increase the efficiency of PCDD/F rhizodegradation which results in a significant decrease in soil cytotoxicity after phytoremediation.

Os solos de terra firme da Amazônia são representados em sua maioria por Latossolos e Argissolos de alta acidez e baixa fertilidade, além de serem facilmente alterados fisicamente com a substituição da floresta primária por cultivos intensivos. O uso de estratégias biológicas, entre as quais se destacam as associaçãos micorrízicas arbusculares, no aperfeiçoamento de sistemas de manejo que racionalizem o uso dos recursos naturais da região, é fundamental para o desenvolvimento econômico contínuo, socialmente justo e ambientalmente sustentável. Para tanto, é necessário melhor entendimento de aspectos ecológicos da comunidade de fungos MA, com o fim de manejá-los. Dentro desse contexto, o objetivo dessa tese foi avaliar a simbiose micorrízica e as comunidades de fungos MA associados à pupunha (Bactris gasipaes Kunth) e ao cupuaçu (Theobroma grandiflorum Willd ex Spring Schum), quando cultivados em sistema agroflorestal (SAF) e em monocultivo, além de estimar a diversidade de comunidades de fungos MA associados às raízes de pupunha através de sequenciamento de mini biblieotecas de amplicons de região do gene ribossomal 18S. Foram realizadas coletas de solo e raízes em duas estações, seca e chuvosa. A colonização micorrízica arbuscular no cupuaçu e na pupunha foi alterada pelo sistema de manejo adotado, sendo observadas maiores taxas de colonização no sistema de monocultivo. A dinâmica sazonal da colonização micorrízica arbuscular foi diferente em cupuaçu e pupunha. A densidade total dos esporos de fungos MA sob o cupuaçu não foi alterada pelo manejo ou pela estação. O tipo de efeito do sistema de manejo na densidade total de esporos de fungos MA sob a pupunha foi diferente nas duas estações. O número de populações de fungos MA encontrados nos agrossistemas de cupuaçu e pupunha foi elevado, com grande número de espécies de freqüência considerada rara. As espécies A. mellea, A. aff. mellea e G. macrocarpum foram as mais freqüentes no cupuaçu e na pupunha em todos os sistemas de manejo. O manejo adotado alterou a composição das comunidades de fungos MA associados à pupunha, não sendo esse efeito muito claro no cupuaçu. O cupuaçu e a pupunha apresentaram comunidades de fungos MA com alta diversidade de espécies de fungos MA, independente do sistema de cultivo. O sequenciamento de mini bibliotecca de amplicons de região do gene rDNA 18S se mostrou viável na avaliação da diversidade de fungos MA, revelando alta diversidade genética desses fungos associados às raízes de pupunha. / The upland soils from the Central Amazon region are characterized by natural low fertility and easy physical degradation due to their conversion from forest to intensive crop systems. The use of biological strategies, including the arbuscular mycorrhizal association, to improve the management of agricultural systems adapted to this environment, may be essential for the sustainable development of the Amazon region. Therefore, it is necessary to learn about ecological aspects concerning arbuscular mycorrizal fungi communities. Thus, the objective of this thesis was to evaluate the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis and the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi communities associated with peach palm (Bactris gasipaes Kunth) and cupuaçu (Theobroma grandiflorum Willd ex Spring Schum) in agroforestry systems and monoculture. Also, we aimed to estimate the diversity of the AM fungi communities in peachpalm roots by sequencing of 18S rDNA amplicons to build mini library. The soil and root samples were collected in the field, in dry and rainy season. Mycorrhizal root colonization of cupuaçu and peach palm was affected by the management systems, with higher colonization rates observed in the monoculture systems. The seasonal dynamic of root colonization was different in cupuaçu and peach palm. The total spore density of MA fungi under cupuaçu was not affected by management systems or season. The management system effect on the total spore density of MA fungi under peach palm was different in the dry and rainy season. A high total number of MA fungi species was found in peachpalm and cupuaçu agrosystems, with mostly rare species. The species A. mellea, A. aff. mellea and G. macrocarpum were most common in both management systems and plant species. The AM fungi community composition associated with peachpalm was strongly affected by management systems, which did not show up clearly in cupuaçu. Cupuaçu and peach palm presented a high diversity in AM fungi communities, independent of the management systems. The sequencing of 18S rDNA amplicons mini library to estimate the diversity of the AM fungi community in peach palm roots confirmed that there is a very great diversity inside the roots, as also found in the rhizosphere.

[Truncated abstract] Currently, Alcoa World Alumina Australia (Alcoa) mines and undertakes procedures to rehabilitate approximately 550 ha of jarrah forest each year at two open-cut bauxite mines in South-West Western Australia. Alcoa aims to establish a self-sustaining jarrah forest ecosystem that maintains the functions of the landscape prior to mining, including biodiversity, on areas that have been mined for bauxite. Indigenous terrestrial orchids form a significant proportion of the indigenous geophytic plant species that either fail to colonise rehabilitated areas or do so very slowly. Terrestrial orchids are considered to be particularly sensitive to competition from weeds and disturbance, which combined with the obligate nature of the orchid-mycorrhizal fungus association suggests that orchids would colonise rehabilitation areas only when both microhabitat sites and soil microflora have established. Occurrence of certain orchids may therefore be expected to be useful as indicators of ecosystem health, the success of vegetation establishment and the recovery of edaphic conditions suitable for orchid mycorrhizal fungi. Vegetation surveys were undertaken to compare orchid species richness and population size of a chrono-sequence of rehabilitation areas with adjacent unmined forest. ... Orchid taxa present in each vegetation assemblage were generally not exclusive to these assemblages, with the following broad exclusions: D. bracteata was found only in species assemblages associated with rehabilitation areas; and Eriochilus sp. and T. crinita were found only in species assemblages associated with unmined forest. No single orchid species appears to be an indicator of ecosystem recovery. However, the presence of populations of C. flava, P. sp. crinkled leaf (G.J.Keighery 13426) or P. recurva in combination with the absence of the disturbance opportunist orchid taxa D. bracteata and M. media appears to be a measure of the maturity of the rehabilitation vegetation. Orchid species richness and clonal orchid population size were correlated with changes in vegetation structure, but apart from the absence of orchids in 1 year old rehabilitation areas, these orchid population characteristics did not show any direct relationship with rehabilitation age or vegetation maturity. Only two orchid taxa appeared to have potential as indicators of vegetation characteristics: T. crinita as an indicator of undisturbed jarrah forest; and D. bracteata as an indicator of disturbed ecosystems. The results of this study suggest that most jarrah forest orchid taxa will readily colonise the post bauxite mining landscape, but that the unassisted colonisation by recalcitrant orchid taxa may be a prolonged process. It is recommended that field-based transplantation and/or seeding trials be undertaken with these recalcitrant taxa to determine if these procedures will enhance recruitment. The results of this work have applications not only in the management of post-mining landscapes but also in vegetation monitoring and conservation work in Western Australia and elsewhere.

Pulses are an important component in crop rotations in the semiarid Brown soil zone of southern Saskatchewan, Canada. Besides their capability to fix nitrogen, pulse crops establish a strong symbiotic relationship with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), which have been shown to increase nutrient and water uptake through hyphal extensions in the soil. Incorporating strongly mycorrhizal crops in a rotation may increase inoculum levels in the soil and benefit the growth of a subsequent crop. The objective of this study was to determine if AMF potential and colonization of a durum crop is significantly affected by cropping history and to assess the impact of pulses in crop rotations on the abundance and diversity of AMF communities in the soil. In 2004 and 2005, soil, plant, and root samples were taken on Triticum turgidum L. (durum) with preceding crops of Pisum sativum L. (pea), Lens culinaris Medik (lentil), Cicer arietinum L. (chickpea), Brassica napus L. (canola) or Triticum turgidum L. (durum). Although there were few differences in soil N and P levels, previous crop had a significant effect (p<0.05) on durum yields in both years. A previous crop of pea was associated with the highest yields, while the durum monocultures were lowest. Arbuscular mycorrhizal potential and colonization were significantly affected (p<0.05) by cropping history, but not consistently as a result of inclusion of a pulse crop. Phospholipid and neutralipid fatty acids (PLFA/NLFA) were completed to analyse the relative abundance of AMF (C16:1ù5), saprophytic fungi (C18:2ù6), and bacteria in the soil. The effect of treatment on the abundance of AMF, saprotrophic fungi and bacteria were not significant (p<0.05), but the changes over time were. These results demonstrate that although previous crop may play a role in microbial community structure, it is not the only influencing factor.

Pulses are an important component in crop rotations in the semiarid Brown soil zone of southern Saskatchewan, Canada. Besides their capability to fix nitrogen, pulse crops establish a strong symbiotic relationship with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), which have been shown to increase nutrient and water uptake through hyphal extensions in the soil. Incorporating strongly mycorrhizal crops in a rotation may increase inoculum levels in the soil and benefit the growth of a subsequent crop. The objective of this study was to determine if AMF potential and colonization of a durum crop is significantly affected by cropping history and to assess the impact of pulses in crop rotations on the abundance and diversity of AMF communities in the soil. In 2004 and 2005, soil, plant, and root samples were taken on Triticum turgidum L. (durum) with preceding crops of Pisum sativum L. (pea), Lens culinaris Medik (lentil), Cicer arietinum L. (chickpea), Brassica napus L. (canola) or Triticum turgidum L. (durum). Although there were few differences in soil N and P levels, previous crop had a significant effect (p<0.05) on durum yields in both years. A previous crop of pea was associated with the highest yields, while the durum monocultures were lowest. Arbuscular mycorrhizal potential and colonization were significantly affected (p<0.05) by cropping history, but not consistently as a result of inclusion of a pulse crop. Phospholipid and neutralipid fatty acids (PLFA/NLFA) were completed to analyse the relative abundance of AMF (C16:1ù5), saprophytic fungi (C18:2ù6), and bacteria in the soil. The effect of treatment on the abundance of AMF, saprotrophic fungi and bacteria were not significant (p<0.05), but the changes over time were. These results demonstrate that although previous crop may play a role in microbial community structure, it is not the only influencing factor.

Melanie Jones and Dan Durall aren't looking to the treetops for clues about the "wood wide web." They're looking to the soil at fungi that are crucial to renewing our forests.

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal