Mycorrhizas and biomass crops: opportunities for future sustainable development

TY - JOUR

T1 - Mycorrhizas and biomass crops: opportunities for future sustainable development

AU - Rooney, Deirdre C.

AU - Killham, Ken

AU - Bending, Gary D.

AU - Baggs, Elizabeth

AU - Weih, Martin

AU - Hodge, Angela

PY - 2009/10

Y1 - 2009/10

N2 - Central to soil health and plant productivity in natural ecosystems are in situ soil microbial communities, of which mycorrhizal fungi are an integral component, regulating nutrient transfer between plants and the surrounding soil via extensive mycelial networks. Such networks are supported by plant-derived carbon and are likely to be enhanced under coppiced biomass plantations, a forestry practice that has been highlighted recently as a viable means of providing an alternative source of energy to fossil fuels, with potentially favourable consequences for carbon mitigation. Here, we explore ways in which biomass forestry, in conjunction with mycorrhizal fungi, can offer a more holistic approach to addressing several topical environmental issues, including 'carbon-neutral' energy, ecologically sustainable land management and CO2 sequestration.

AB - Central to soil health and plant productivity in natural ecosystems are in situ soil microbial communities, of which mycorrhizal fungi are an integral component, regulating nutrient transfer between plants and the surrounding soil via extensive mycelial networks. Such networks are supported by plant-derived carbon and are likely to be enhanced under coppiced biomass plantations, a forestry practice that has been highlighted recently as a viable means of providing an alternative source of energy to fossil fuels, with potentially favourable consequences for carbon mitigation. Here, we explore ways in which biomass forestry, in conjunction with mycorrhizal fungi, can offer a more holistic approach to addressing several topical environmental issues, including 'carbon-neutral' energy, ecologically sustainable land management and CO2 sequestration.

KW - SOIL CARBON SEQUESTRATION

KW - SHORT-ROTATION COPPICE

KW - ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAL

KW - ROOT COLONIZATION

KW - COMMUNITY STRUCTURE

KW - ORGANIC MATERIAL

KW - SALIX-VIMINALIS

KW - PLANT-GROWTH

KW - FUNGI

KW - ECTOMYCORRHIZAL

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=70349565236&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.tplants.2009.08.004

DO - 10.1016/j.tplants.2009.08.004

M3 - Literature review

SN - 1360-1385

VL - 14

SP - 542

EP - 549

JO - TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE

JF - TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE

IS - 10

ER -