The symbiosis
of plants and fungi has a great influence on the worldwide spread of plant
species. In some cases, it even acts like a filter. This has been discovered by
an international team of researchers with participation from the University of
Göttingen. The results appeared in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution.
In the colonisation
of islands
by plant species, it isn't just factors like island size, isolation and
geological development that play an important role, but also the interactions
between species. The scientists found that the symbiosis of plant and fungus --
the mycorrhiza -- is of particular importance. The two organisms exchange
nutrients via the plant's fine root system: the fungus receives carbohydrates
from the plant; the plant receives nutrients that the fungus has absorbed from
the soil.
Dr
Camille Delavaux, lead author from the University of Kansas (US), explains,
"We show that the plant symbiotic association with mycorrhizal fungi is an
overlooked driver of global plant biogeographic patterns. This has important
consequences for our understanding of contemporary island biogeography and
human-mediated plant invasions." The results show that complex
relationships between different organisms are crucial for understanding global
diversity patterns and preserving biological diversity. "The absence of an
interaction partner can disrupt ecosystems and make them more susceptible to
biological invasions," Weigelt stresses.
See:
Posted by Dr. Tim Sandle, Pharmaceutical Microbiology
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