Identification and community profiling of Vaccinium membranaceum root-associated fungi over an elevation gradient in BC's eastern rocky mountains.

Root-associated fungi, including ericoid mycorrhizas, are important to the health of alpine and northern forest ecosystems. These symbiotic root-fungus associations form with shrubs in the family Ericaceae. This is the first report of an attempt to profile the fungal community structure associated with roots of Vaccinium membranaceum (huckleberry) over a biogeoclimatic (BEC) zone elevation gradient in BC's eastern rocky mountains. Four biogeoclimatic zones were targeted on McBride peak: the alpine, ESSF, ICH and SBS. Fungal associates were grown in culture and fungal DNA analyzed directly from the roots. Both techniques generated community profiles that demonstrated differences in root-associated fungal community structure between each of the four zones. The higher elevation alpine and ESSF hosted fungi known to form ericoid mycorrhizas. Lower elevation ICH and SBS tended to host more common fungi. The diversity patterns generated have potential implications in climate change.