Changes in land uses caused by deforestation determine the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi community composition in tropical environments.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are obligate symbionts that help plants cope with biotic and abiotic stresses in soil ecosystems. However, AMF communities are highly sensitive to land use changes. In this study, we sampled soils from three environments (natural ecosystem, pasture, and deforested site) to characterize the AMF community (spores' abundance, richness, Shannon's diversity, and Simpson's dominance) and soil chemical properties (soil pH, soil organic carbon, available phosphorus, and total nitrogen). Soil samples were collected following standard methods. AMF spores were isolated through wet sieving and identified based on their morphological traits. A total of 15 AMF species were identified across the studied sites. The natural ecosystem exhibited the highest AMF richness, diversity, and dominance. Soil pH was highest in the deforested site, while available phosphorus and total nitrogen were most abundant in the natural ecosystem and pasture. Additionally, the pasture environment stored more soil organic carbon than the other sites. These findings highlight the impact of land use and habitat simplification through deforestation on AMF diversity and soil nutrient dynamics, with important implications for ecosystem management and soil conservation strategies.