Mycorrhizal respiration: implications for global scaling relationships

John K. Hughes, Angela Hodge, Alastair H. Fitter, Owen K. Atkin

Research output: Contribution to journalLiterature reviewpeer-review

Abstract

Most plant species form mycorrhizas, yet these are neglected by plant physiologists. One consequence of this neglect is reduced ability to predict plant respiration, because respiration rate (R) in mycorrhizal roots might be higher than in non-mycorrhizal roots owing to increased substrate availability associated with enhanced nutrient uptake, coupled with increased respiratory product demand. Other predictions include that mycorrhizal colonization will affect scaling of R with tissue nitrogen concentrations; that mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal root R differ in their response to nutrient supply; and that the impact of colonization on R is related to fungal biomass. Failure to examine properly the role of colonization in determining root R means that current interpretations of root and soil respiration data might be flawed.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)583-588
Number of pages6
JournalTRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE
Volume13
Issue number11
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2008

Keywords

  • NONMYCORRHIZAL ROOT SYSTEMS
  • SOIL RESPIRATION
  • TEMPERATURE SENSITIVITY
  • ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAS
  • NITROGEN CONCENTRATION
  • THERMAL-ACCLIMATION
  • FUNGAL SYMBIONT
  • LEGUME NODULES
  • CARBON
  • GROWTH

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