9416708 Friese This Americas Program award will support a collaborative research project between Dr. Carl Friese, University of Dayton, and Dr. Lorgio Aguilera, Universidad de la Serena, Chile. The objective is to study the symbiosis between mycorrhizal fungi and plant species belonging to the genus Atriflex in order to better understand the effect of desertification on the plant and microbial communities, as well as the natural disturbance regime, in the arid regions of Chile. A descriptive analysis of the plant-microbe communities currently undergoing desertification will be compared to that of a protected site in the same region. Two integral components of arid ecosystems will be studied: plant-microbe communities, and small scale disturbances. Descriptive studies of the plant, fungal and microbial communities will be linked together with spatial analyses of animal disturbance, along with experimental studies of the effect of the disturbance on plant-microbe interaction. This complete analysis will yield much more information about desertification than a single study of the system. Desertification is the process by which the productivity and soil quality of ecosystems are significantly reduced. As a result of mining and farming activities, much of the arid land of Chile has been subject to desertification. The effects of this process on arid lands can be devastating, nearly eliminating the ground forage for livestock and other animals. The aim of this study is to determine the specific processes of desertification that are causing the loss of soil fertility and thus, plant community diversity, with the ultimate goal of reversing or halting the desertification process. ***
