The Importance of Mycorrhizal Diversity Study

Mycorrhizal fungi combine with plant roots to form a symbiotic relationship whereby the fungi give nutrients, water and protection to the plant in exchange for food in the form of carbon. A single plant can host several species of mycorrhizal fungi. For example, up to 2000 species of fungi can be associated with the roots of a single Douglas fir tree.

Plant Health

• Each species of fungus has different capabilities in regard to supplying nutrients, water and protection to a plant. Therefore, even though fungi may be present in the soil, if the diversity of fungi is inadequate, plants will be less healthy or even fail to survive.

Agriculture and Forestry

• Healthy forests rely on a healthy diversity of mycorrhizae.

  Food and wood production through agricultural crops and forestry are necessary to sustain human life and civilization. Mycorrhizal diversity is key to maintaining crop and forest fertility. Studying this diversity helps figure out which mycorrhizal fungi need to be added to achieve soil fertility and aids in the development of farming and forestry practices that preserve mycorrhizal diversity.

Ecosystem Conservation

• Studying mycorrhizal diversity helps to conserve and rehabilitate natural habitats.

  The diversity of mycorrhizal fungi present in the soil determines how degraded areas recover to a previous pristine state. Mycorrhizal diversity studies are needed to understand the roles of the various species of mycorrhizal fungi in a habitat so that effective conservation strategies can be developed. Without such studies, the original species of plants and health of the ecosystem may never recover despite the investment of extensive time, effort and money.

Pollution Effects

• Studying the effects of pollutants, like sewage effluents, on mycorrhizal diversity aids in determining the overall effect of the pollutant on the environment and how to fix polluted areas.