LAUSR

Abstract Despite the evident importance of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) associated with the root system of plants inhabiting desert regions, limit is known about the distribution and activity of AMF in desert ecosystems. Accordingly, AMF diversity, community composition and glomalin were investigated in the northern desert of China. Soil samples from 0 to 30 cm in depth over seven plots were collected under the canopy of Hedysarum scoparium in July of 2015 and 2016. A total of 51 molecular operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were identified by MiSeq sequencing based on small subunit (SSU) ribosomal RNA genes, and Diversispora celata and Diversispora trimurales were discovered for the first time in a desert ecosystem in China. The abundant genera included Glomus (56.4%), Diversispora (25.1%), Claroideoglomus (6.0%), Funneliformis (6.1%) and Paraglomus (5.5%). Archaeospora and Scutellospora sequences represented