OCCURRENCE OF VESICULAR-ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI IN ALBERTA, CANADA

Three VA mycorrhizal fungal species were isolated from soils in Albert a, Canada and examined by scanning electron microscopy and energy-disp ersive X-ray microanalysis. Mature spores of Glomus aggregatum develop ed an outer hyaline wall which contained lower levels of calcium than the middle wall. Examination of G. pansihalos spores revealed a lower level of calcium in the outer evanescent wall as compared to the ornam ented wall. When spores of Entrophospora infrequens were examined, the wall of the vesicle was found to contain similar levels of calcium as the ornamented wall of the spore. The significance of the results con cerning the presence of calcium in mycorrhizal spore walls is discusse d, as is the occurrence of the mycorrhizal species.