Ectomycorrhizal Symbionts of Scots Pine and Silver Birch Forest Ecosystems in the Natural Reserve Ertis Ormany in Kazakhstan.

Symbiotic relationships maintain the balance of forest ecosystems, with ectomycorrhizal (EcM) symbiosis being one of the most significant. EcM symbiosis in forests dominated by Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and silver birch (Betula pendula Roth.) has been often observed, but remain understudied in parts of world. This study was conducted in the State Forest Natural Reserve "Ertis Ormany" in Kazakhstan. The aim of this study was to identify EcM symbionts on Scots pine and silver birch by analyzing ribosomal DNA sequences isolated from hyphal endings. Our results show that among all EcM symbionts the order Agaricales (13 species/28.8% of total species numer) had highest species diversity in Scots pine, followed by Boletales (9/20%) and Russulales (8/17.7 %). For silver birch, the order Russulales (7/15.5%) had highest species diversity, followed by Agaricales (5/11.1%), and Boletales (3/6.7%). A total of 15 symbiont families were identified: Agaricaceae (2 species/4,4% of the total number of species identified in the study area), Amanitaceae (4/8.9%), Boletacea (5/11.1%), Cortinariaceae (3/6.7%), Gloeophyllaceae (1/2.2%), Inocybaceae (1/2.2%), Lycoperdaceae (1/2.2%), Lyophyllaceae (2/4.4%), Paxillaceae (1/2.2%), Polyporaceae (3/6.7%), Psathyrellaceae (2/4.4%), Pseudoclitocybaceae (2/4.4%), Russulaceae (8/17.8%), Suillaceae (6/13.3%), and Tricholomataceae (4/8.9). A higher symbiotic association with EcM was found in Scots pine (66.5%) compared to silver birch (33.3%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]