A molecular assessment of ectomycorrhizal fungal communities associated with North African Alnus glutinosa forests

Saadi, Oussama; Tadjine, Aicha; Bouam, Idriss; Kupagme, John Y.; Alwutayd, Khairiah Mubarak; Anslan, Sten; P&#245;lme, Sergei

doi:10.3897/mycokeys.127.174964

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Article: A molecular assessment of ectomycorrhizal fungal communities associated with North African Alnus glutinosa forests

Title

A molecular assessment of ectomycorrhizal fungal communities associated with North African Alnus glutinosa forests

By

Saadi, Oussama
Tadjine, Aicha
Bouam, Idriss
Kupagme, John Y.
Alwutayd, Khairiah Mubarak
Anslan, Sten
Põlme, Sergei

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2026-1-23

Original Publication

MycoKeys

Volume

127

Pages

169--189

Subjects

Algeria , Alnus , diversity , ectomycorrhizal fungi , high-throughput sequencing , high-throughput sequencing , Mediterranean basin

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers 2011-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/mycokeys.127.174964

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License Type URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Rights: https://biodiversitylibrary.org/permissions
Copyright Status: In copyright. Digitized with the permission of the rights holder.
Rights Holder: Copyright held by individual article author(s).

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expand Abstract

The diversity and biogeographic patterns of ectomycorrhizal fungi (EcMF) remain underexplored in many parts of the world, particularly in southern temperate ecosystems. Here, we present the first molecular characterization of EcMF communities associated with North African populations of Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn., commonly known as black alder. Root samples over multiple sampling periods were collected from three sites in and around El Kala Biosphere Reserve, northeastern Algeria, and analysed using high-throughput sequencing targeting the full ITS region. We identified 101 EcMF operational taxonomic units (OTUs), representing two phyla, two classes, seven orders, 15 families, and 18 genera—predominantly Basidiomycota (98.6%). The genera Lactarius , Tomentella , and Inocybe consistently dominated across all sites. Community richness and diversity varied significantly among sites. Organic matter content and site identity significantly influenced EcMF community composition, whereas seasonality and other edaphic parameters showed no detectable effects. Comparative phylogenetic analysis revealed minimal overlap with EcMF communities from European, Asian, or American Alnus populations. These findings demonstrate that southern marginal populations of A. glutinosa harbour exceptionally rich and potentially unique EcMF assemblages, likely shaped by relative aridity, geographic isolation, and host lineage divergence. Our study highlights the critical importance of incorporating biogeographically peripheral ecosystems into global fungal diversity assessments, particularly in historically and environmentally distinctive regions.