The main goal of this study was to determine the diversity and activity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in an area degraded by limestone mining within the semi-arid region of Brazil known as the caatinga (shrublands). Near a limestone quarry, we selected two areas of caatinga (preserved and degraded) for study. The number of glomerospores did not differ significantly between the two areas. There was a trend toward the most probable number of infective propagules being higher in the degraded area. Twenty AMF taxa were identified in the two sampled areas, species richness, diversity and evenness being higher in the preserved area. Two species of Racocetra represent new records for the semi-arid region of Brazil. Glomerospore production and AMF species richness were unaffected by mining activity in the study area.

A simbiose entre fungos micorrízicos arbusculares (FMA) com raízes de plantas vasculares constitui uma das mais importantes formas de mitigar o impacto das áreas pertubadas. O trabalho objetivou caracterizar a comunidade de FMA presente no solo de área de duna revegetada e avaliar sua influência sobre o desenvolvimento de espécies nativas. Foi realizada coleta de solo durante o período chuvoso em área revegetada, avaliando-se: produção de proteínas do solo relacionadas à glomalina (PSRG), densidade e diversidade de glomerosporos. A influência da comunidade nativa de FMA foi determinada para duas espécies vegetais nativas: Tabebuia roseo-alba (Ridl.) Sandw. (peroba) e Tocoyena selloana Schum. (jenipapo-bravo). Para cada espécie foram testados dois tratamentos - solo nativo (SN) e solo nativo desinfestado (SND) - em delineamento inteiramente casualizado com 10 repetições. Ao final foram avaliados: altura, diâmetro do caule, número de folhas, área foliar, biomassa seca e conteúdo de nutrientes nas partes aérea e radicular, densidade de glomerosporos, colonização micorrízica hifálica, arbuscular, vesicular e total e produção de proteínas do solo relacionadas à glomalina (PSRG). O solo da área de duna revegetada apresentou 1 glomerosporo g-1 de solo e 1,20 ± 0,04 mg PSRG g-1 solo, sendo identificadas seis espécies de FMA. Maior desenvolvimento vegetal e fúngico ocorreram no SN. A colonização micorrízica na peroba foi de 80% e no jenipapo-bravo 60%. Os FMA estão presentes em áreas revegetadas após extração de minérios, e contribuem para o crescimento das espécies nativas testadas em condições de casa de vegetação, sugerindo assim, que o desempenho dessas plantas é influenciado pela simbiose micorrízica arbuscular.

Association of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and plant roots constituted one of the most important ways to mitigate the impact of disturbed area. The aim of this work was to characterize the AMF community in the soil from revegetated dune area and to analyze its influence on the native plant development. Soils were collected in rainfall season in the revegetated area. Glomalin-related soil protein production (GRSP), glomerospores density and diversity were evaluated. The influence of AMF autoctone community was determined for two native plants: Tabebuia roseo-alba (Ridl.) Sandw. (peroba) and Tocoyena selloana Schum. (jenipapo-bravo). Experimental design for each species was completely randomized with 10 replicates, two treatment - native soil (SN) and disinfested native soil (SND) - were tested. Parameters evaluated were: height, shoot diameter, leaf number and area, shoot and root dry mass, nutrient contents, glomerospore density, mycorrhizal colonization and glomalin-related soil protein production (GRSP). In dune revegetated soil was found 1 glomerospore g-1 soil and 1.20 ± 0.04 mg GRSP g-1 soil, and six AMF species were identified. Native soil promoted more development to plant and fungi. Mycorrhizal colonization in peroba was 80% and in jenipapo-bravo 60%. Then, AMF are present in revegetated area after mining contributing to growth of native plant species studied in greenhouse conditions, suggesting that their performance is affected by arbuscular mycorrhiza symbiosis.