Belowground DNA-based techniques: untangling the network of plant root interactions

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How do plants regulate the function, community structure, and diversity of mycorrhizal fungi?

In many semi-natural and natural ecosystems, mycor-rhizal fungi are the most abundant and functionally important group of soil micro-organisms. They are almost wholly dependent on their host plants to supply them with photosynthate in return for which they en-able the plant to access greater quantities of nutrients. Thus, there is considerable potential for plant commu-nities to regulate the structure and function of mycor-rhizal communities. This paper reviews some of the key recent developments that have enabled the influence of plant species richness, composition, and age on mycorrhizal communities in boreal forests and temperate grassland to be determined. It discusses the emerging evidence that, in some situations, plant species richness is related to mycorrhizal species richness, in contrast to previous thinking. The paper also includes some preliminary data on the effect of host stand age on root-associated basidiomycete communities. It concludes by highlighting some of the new methodological advances that promise to unravel the linkages between mycorrhizal diversity and their function in situ

Response of ericoid mycorrhizal colonization and functioning to global change factors

Here, we investigated effects of increased atmospheric CO2 concentration, increased temperatures, and both factors in combination on ericoid mycorrhizal colonization, mycorrhizal functioning and below-ground carbon allocation in a subarctic forest understorey, to evaluate the hypothesis that photosynthesis is a primary driver for mycorrhizal colonization. Treatment effects on ecosystem processes were investigated using C-14-pulse labelling and photosynthesis measurements in combination with analysis of ergosterol content in roots. The effects on delta(15)N in leaves were also studied. Ergosterol content in hair roots was positively correlated with ecosystem photosynthesis and was higher in heat- and CO2-treated plots. Leaves from CO2 Plots tended to be more depleted in N-15 compared with controls both for Vaccinium myrtillus and V. vitis-idaea. Our results suggest that changes in ecosystem photosynthesis, plant carbon (C) Allocation may give rise to changing mycorrhizal colonization under elevated CO2 and temperature. The role of mycorrhizas in ecosystem N-cycling may change on a long-term basis as inorganic N availability declines with increasing levels of atmospheric CO2