EctomycBrunei

Host specificity of Dipterocarp ectomycorrhizal associations across soil gradients and age cohorts in Brunei Darussalam

01/01/2023 to 31/12/2025

The Dipterocarpaceae family is the most dominant tree family of Southeast Asia’s tropical lowland forests, especially in Borneo. Though arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AM) are the norm in the tropics, dipterocarps form an exception by having mutualistic associations with ectomycorrhizal fungi (ECM) instead. ECM associations are often linked to dominance patterns in the tropics, with ECM-associated species forming monodominant or mixed species dominant stands. While previous studies have focused on the ECM associations of dipterocarp seedlings for reforestation purposes or of dipterocarps in general within a single site, our study advances this research by looking at ECM host specificity within and between dipterocarp species across soil gradients, as well as along different tree age cohorts. We will sample root tips of the locally dominant dipterocarp species, along with measuring soil properties. High-throughput Illumina DNA sequencing of soils and Sanger sequencing of root tips will be used to identify the ECM species. Our study will provide crucial insights into the specificity of the ECM-Dipterocarp associations and how they are linked to environmental conditions and dominance patterns.