Underground Explorers

The Tenasserim region of Southern Thailand represents a critical biogeographical transition zone harboring unique flora and fauna assemblages, yet arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) communities across its diverse forest ecosystems remain largely unexplored. This study aims to characterize AMF community composition and diversity across three distinct forest types: lowland evergreen forest, coastal sand dune forest, and mixed forest ecosystems, investigating seasonal variations between wet and dry seasons. Soil samples (n=48) will be collected from four protected areas during July and February, with AMF communities characterized through paired-end amplicon sequencing of the small subunit ribosomal DNA region using the Illumina NovaSeq6000 platform. We hypothesize that AMF community composition differs significantly across forest types, with highest diversity in mixed forests due to heterogeneous environmental conditions, and that seasonal variations significantly influence community structure with greater richness during wet seasons. This research will provide the first comprehensive baseline data on AMF diversity in the Tenasserim region, essential for conservation strategies of mycoheterotrophic plants including rare orchids and endangered species. The identification of native AMF strains will contribute to sustainable agriculture through biofertilizer development while advancing understanding of tropical forest ecology and mycorrhizal biogeography in Southeast Asia.