How mycorrhizal associations drive plant population and community biology

Abstract

Mycorrhizal fungi provide plants with a range of benefits, including mineral nutrients and protection from stress and pathogens. Here we synthesize current information about how the presence and type of mycorrhizal association affect plant communities. We argue that mycorrhizal fungi regulate seedling establishment and species coexistence through stabilizing and equalizing mechanisms such as soil nutrient partitioning, feedback to soil antagonists, differential mycorrhizal benefits, and nutrient trade. Mycorrhizal fungi have strong effects on plant population and community biology, with mycorrhizal type–specific effects on seed dispersal, seedling establishment, and soil niche differentiation, as well as interspecific and intraspecific competition and hence plant diversity.

Regional-Scale In-Depth Analysis of Soil Fungal Diversity Reveals Strong pH and Plant Species Effects in Northern Europe

“…Exploration types of EcM have been viewed as ways of obtaining nutrients and plant carbon investments into mineral nutrition by differences in soil exploration, potential enzymatic activities and access to nutrients in different forms (Agerer, 2001;Jones et al, 2010;Tedersoo et al, 2012b). Across various ecosystems, our analyses revealed that relative abundance of only medium-distance-fringe and medium-distance-smooth types are related to 15 N abundance or C/N ratio, whereas other types were unresponsive or responded to soil pH.…”

Can root-associated fungi mediate the impact of abiotic conditions on the growth of a High Arctic herb?

“…Almost all symbiotrophic RAF of B. vivipara in Svalbard are ectomycorrhizal 7,39 . Since these fungi exchange nitrogen with plants in return for versatile carbon metabolites 18 , we hypothesized that in a resource-limiting environment this fungal trophic mode could promote bigger plants 74 , therefore bigger leaves. This way, fungi could potentially influence the number and amount of metabolites that the plant could produce in return and share in its rhizosphere.…”

Mycorrhizas transfer carbon in a mature mixed forest

“…Reciprocal transfer was first reported in conspecific seedlings by Simard et al. (1997), with the ecological significance of this finding debated in the literature because of the difficulties in extrapolating from young seedlings to trees and use of relevant controls (Robinson & Fitter, 1999; Simard et al, 2012; Tedersoo, Bahram, & Zobel, 2020).…”