ISSN:
1365-3040
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
Most terrestrial plant species form associations with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) that transfer soil P to the plant via their external hyphae. The distribution of nutrients in soils is typically patchy (heterogeneous) but little is known about the ability of AMF to exploit P patches in soil. This was studied by growing symbioses of Linum usitatissimum and three AMF (Glomus intraradices, G. mosseae and Gigaspora margarita) in pots with two side-arms, which were accessible to hyphae, but not to roots. Soil in one side-arm was either unamended (P0) or enriched with P; simultaneous labelling of this soil with 32P revealed that G. intraradices responded to P enrichment both in terms of hyphal proliferation and P uptake, whereas the other AMF did not. Labelling with 33P of P0 soil in the other side arm revealed that the increased P uptake by G. intraradices from the P-enriched patch was paralleled by decreased P uptake by other parts of the mycelium. This is the first demonstration of variation in growth and nutrient uptake by an AMF as influenced by a localized P enrichment of the soil. The results are discussed in the context of functional diversity of AMF.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3040.2005.01310.x
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