简介：Arbuscularmycorrhizafungi(AMF)arevitalintheregenerationofvegetationindisturbedecosystemsduetotheirnumerousecologicaladvantagesandthereforearegoodindicatorsofsoilandecosystemhealthatlarge.Thisstudywasaimedatdetermininghowtheseasonal,vegetationcoverdensity,edaphicandanthropogenicfactorsaffectAMFrootcolonization(RC)andsporedensity(SD)inDesa’adryAfromontaneforest.AMFRCandSDintherhizosphereoffivedominantwoodyspecies,Juniperusprocera,Oleaeuropaea,Maytenusarbutifolia,CarissaspinarumandDodonaeaangustifoliagrowinginDesa’aforestwerestudiedduringtherainyandthedryseasonsinthreepermanentstudyvegetationcoverdensityplots(dense,medium,andpoor).Eachplot(160×40m2)hastwomanagementpractices(fencedandunfencedplots)ofarea.A100gsampleofrhizospheresoilfrommoisturefreecompositesoilwasusedtodeterminesporedensity.Sporedensityrangedfrom50to4467spores/100gsoil,andallspecieswerecolonizedbyAMFwithinarangeof4–95%.Glomuswasthedominantgenusintherhizosphereofallspecies.VegetationcoverdensitystronglyaffectedSDandRC.TheSDwassignificantlyhigher(p<0.05)inthepoorvegetationcoverdensitythanintheothertwoandlowestinthedensecover;rootcolonizationshowedthereversetrend.Managementpracticessignificantly(p<0.05)influencedAMFSDandRC,withthefencedplotsbeingmorefavoured.Seasonssignificantly(p<0.05)affectedRCandSD.MoreRCandSDwereobservedinthewetperiodthanthedryperiod.CorrelatingAMFSDandRCwithsoilphysicalandchemicalpropertiesshowednosignificantdifference(p>0.05)exceptfortotalnitrogen.Disturbance,vegetationcoverdensity,seasonandtotalnitrogenaresignificantfactorsthatcontrolthedynamicsandmanagementinterventionstomaintaintheforesthealthofdryAfromontaneforests.