Nutritional ecology of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

Research output: Contribution to journalLiterature reviewpeer-review

Abstract

Despite their large role in ecosystems and plant nutrition, our knowledge of the nutritional ecology of the fungi involved in the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis, the Glomeromycota, is poor. We briefly describe the mechanisms that underlie the fluxes of the three major elements (C, N and P) and outline a model for the interchange of these between the partners. This model is consistent with data from physiological, ecological and taxonomic studies and allows a new and necessary focus on the nutritional requirements of the fungus itself, separately from its role in the symbiosis. There is an urgent need for new studies to identify the sources of nutrients such as N and P that AM fungi (AMF) use for their own growth and to elucidate the mechanisms that control the transfer of these to the plant in relation to fungal demand. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd and The British Mycological Society. All rights reserved.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)267-273
Number of pages7
JournalFUNGAL ECOLOGY
Volume3
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2010

Keywords

  • Carbon
  • Evolution
  • Glomeromycota
  • Mycelium
  • Mycorrhiza
  • Nitrogen
  • Nutrition
  • Phosphorus
  • GLOMUS-INTRARADICES
  • PHOSPHATE TRANSPORTER
  • EXTRARADICAL MYCELIUM
  • ORGANIC MATERIAL
  • CARBON TRANSFER
  • AMMONIUM TRANSPORTER
  • FUNCTIONAL DIVERSITY
  • SPATIAL-DISPERSION
  • NITROGEN CAPTURE
  • LOTUS-JAPONICUS

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