COSTS AND BENEFITS OF MYCORRHIZAS - IMPLICATIONS FOR FUNCTIONING UNDER NATURAL CONDITIONS

A H Fitter

COSTS AND BENEFITS OF MYCORRHIZAS - IMPLICATIONS FOR FUNCTIONING UNDER NATURAL CONDITIONS

Biology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Literature review › peer-review

Abstract

It is paradoxical that most plants under natural conditions are infected with vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, yet that it is often difficult to demonstrate that infected plants receive any benefit from the association. The costs and benefits of infection are analysed and a hypothesis formulated that infection only yields benefits at times during the life cycle when P demand by the plant exceeds the capacity of the root system. A simulation model is described that suggests that infection density should be more or less constant below a threshold value of root P uptake rate, but that above this value roots should be non-mycorrhizal. More extensive study of mycorrhizas under field conditions is needed to test such predictions.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	350-355
Number of pages	6
Journal	Experientia
Volume	47
Issue number	4
Publication status	Published - 15 Apr 1991

Keywords

MYCORRHIZAS
COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS
PHOSPHATE UPTAKE
FIELD CONDITIONS
VESICULAR-ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAS
ENDOMYCORRHIZAL ROOT SYSTEMS
PHOSPHORUS
INFECTION
GROWTH
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
PLANTS
FUNGI
SYMBIOSIS
CROPS

Cite this

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title = "COSTS AND BENEFITS OF MYCORRHIZAS - IMPLICATIONS FOR FUNCTIONING UNDER NATURAL CONDITIONS",

abstract = "It is paradoxical that most plants under natural conditions are infected with vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, yet that it is often difficult to demonstrate that infected plants receive any benefit from the association. The costs and benefits of infection are analysed and a hypothesis formulated that infection only yields benefits at times during the life cycle when P demand by the plant exceeds the capacity of the root system. A simulation model is described that suggests that infection density should be more or less constant below a threshold value of root P uptake rate, but that above this value roots should be non-mycorrhizal. More extensive study of mycorrhizas under field conditions is needed to test such predictions.",

keywords = "MYCORRHIZAS, COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS, PHOSPHATE UPTAKE, FIELD CONDITIONS, VESICULAR-ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAS, ENDOMYCORRHIZAL ROOT SYSTEMS, PHOSPHORUS, INFECTION, GROWTH, PHOTOSYNTHESIS, PLANTS, FUNGI, SYMBIOSIS, CROPS",

author = "Fitter, {A H}",

year = "1991",

month = apr,

day = "15",

language = "English",

volume = "47",

pages = "350--355",

journal = "Experientia",

issn = "0014-4754",

publisher = "Birkhauser Verlag Basel",

number = "4",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - COSTS AND BENEFITS OF MYCORRHIZAS - IMPLICATIONS FOR FUNCTIONING UNDER NATURAL CONDITIONS

AU - Fitter, A H

PY - 1991/4/15

Y1 - 1991/4/15

N2 - It is paradoxical that most plants under natural conditions are infected with vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, yet that it is often difficult to demonstrate that infected plants receive any benefit from the association. The costs and benefits of infection are analysed and a hypothesis formulated that infection only yields benefits at times during the life cycle when P demand by the plant exceeds the capacity of the root system. A simulation model is described that suggests that infection density should be more or less constant below a threshold value of root P uptake rate, but that above this value roots should be non-mycorrhizal. More extensive study of mycorrhizas under field conditions is needed to test such predictions.

AB - It is paradoxical that most plants under natural conditions are infected with vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, yet that it is often difficult to demonstrate that infected plants receive any benefit from the association. The costs and benefits of infection are analysed and a hypothesis formulated that infection only yields benefits at times during the life cycle when P demand by the plant exceeds the capacity of the root system. A simulation model is described that suggests that infection density should be more or less constant below a threshold value of root P uptake rate, but that above this value roots should be non-mycorrhizal. More extensive study of mycorrhizas under field conditions is needed to test such predictions.

KW - MYCORRHIZAS

KW - COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS

KW - PHOSPHATE UPTAKE

KW - FIELD CONDITIONS

KW - VESICULAR-ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAS

KW - ENDOMYCORRHIZAL ROOT SYSTEMS

KW - PHOSPHORUS

KW - INFECTION

KW - GROWTH

KW - PHOTOSYNTHESIS

KW - PLANTS

KW - FUNGI

KW - SYMBIOSIS

KW - CROPS

M3 - Literature review

SN - 0014-4754

VL - 47

SP - 350

EP - 355

JO - Experientia

JF - Experientia

IS - 4

ER -