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The Role of Various Types of Mycorrhizal Fungi in Nutrient Cycling and Plant Competition

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Mycorrhizal Ecology

Part of the book series: Ecological Studies ((ECOLSTUD,volume 157))

Abstract

More than 90% of terrestrial plant species associate with mycorrhizal fungi. These fungi play an important role in the mineral nutrition of plants. This chapter focuses on the ability of various mycorrhiza-types: arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), ecto-mycorrhizal fungi (EMF) and ericoid mycorrhizal fungi to utilise different soil nutrient sources (EMF and ericoid mycorrhizal fungi: organic N; AMF: inorganic P) and the consequences of this ability for plant competition and plant-soil feed-backs. A conceptual model is presented which shows that this differentiation in the use of various inorganic and organic nutrient sources may create positive feed-backs between plant species dominance, litter chemistry, litter decomposition, and the dominant mycorrhiza type. However, the mycorrhizal impact, especially of ericoid mycorrhizal fungi and ecto-mycorrhizal fungi, on this triad of plant nutrition, plant competition, and ecosystem functioning can be strongly reduced under high levels of atmospheric nitrogen input. As increased N input leads to a relative P shortage in ecosystems, it can be expected that arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal species become progressively more dominant. However, the effects of increased N supply on AMF colonisation are very variable. Studies show that positive, negative or no effects are found in almost equal proportions.

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Authors
  1. Rien Aerts
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Systems Ecology, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, Free University of Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1087, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Marcel G. A. van der Heijden

  2. Institute of Ecology, University of Lausanne, Biology Building, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Ian R. Sanders

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© 2003 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Aerts, R. (2003). The Role of Various Types of Mycorrhizal Fungi in Nutrient Cycling and Plant Competition. In: van der Heijden, M.G.A., Sanders, I.R. (eds) Mycorrhizal Ecology. Ecological Studies, vol 157. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-38364-2_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-38364-2_5

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-00204-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-38364-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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