Purpose To explore the species diversity and the distribution characteristics of entomogenous fungi at different altitudes in the northern section of Gaoligong Mountains, laying a foundation for the protection and utilization of entomogenous fungi resources in this area.
Methods The soil samples were collected in the northern section of Gaoligong Mountains along an altitude gradient (1900-4300 m). The entomogenous fungal strains were isolated and identified according to the morphological characters and multigene phylogenetic analyses. The sample area was divided into five altitude gradient zones (Ⅰ-Ⅴ), and the species diversity and vertical distribution characteristic of entomogenous fungi were analyzed.
Results A total of 1135 entomogenous fungal strains were obtained, including 19 species from seven genera of four families. Metarhizium (816 strains of eight species) and Beauveria (214 strains of four species) were the dominant genera. M. brunneum, B. bassiana and Samsoniella hepiali were the dominant species. Entomogenous fungi were found in soils of all altitude gradients. With an increase of altitude, the species richness and the number of strains of entomogenous fungi were decreased, while the diversity index was increased. The species richness (13 species) and the number of strains (265 strains) of entomogenous fungi in the middle altitude gradient zone Ⅰ were the highest. The species richness (9 species) and the number of strains (139 strains) in the highest altitude gradient zone Ⅴ were the lowest, while the Simpson diversity index (0.576), Shannon-Wiener diversity index (1.272) and Pielou’s evenness index (0.579) were the highest, and the dominance (0.424) was the lowest.
Conclusion Entomogenous fungi resources in the soils of the northern section of the Gaoligong Mountains are abundant and are widely distributed in all altitude gradients. There are more species and strains in the middle altitude area, and the diversity index is higher in the high altitude area.
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