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Mycorrhiza

  • Soil Health

  • Biological

Summary

Mycorrhizal fungi establish symbiotic relationships with plant roots, enhancing the plant’s nutrient uptake, particularly for essential elements like phosphorus. This symbiosis is crucial for robust plant growth and overall ecosystem productivity (Creamer et al., 2016; Neiendam Nielsen & Winding, 2002).

The hyphal networks formed by mycorrhizal fungi contribute to improved soil structure, enhancing soil aggregation, water retention, and resistance to erosion (Neiendam Nielsen & Winding, 2002).

For more information on mycorrhiza you can follow this link from the soil health academy: https://soilhealthacademy.org/blog/mycorrhizal-colonization/#:~:text=The%20PLFA%20test%20is%20a,the%20soil%20at%20sampling%20depth.

Methodology summary

Soil samples need to be sent to a laboratory, where they can perform DNA extraction, PCR, and sequencing to identify mycorrhiza (Gorzelak et al., 2012).

To maintain an equitable portrayal of soil fungi, it is crucial to minimize the inclusion of root fragments in soil samples. Failure to do so may lead to an overestimation of the impact of fungi associated with a prevalent plant species in your ecosystem (Gorzelak et al., 2012).

To collect samples for sending to a laboratory, detailed information on soil sampling such as where to take the samples from, how many, the best time to sample, and depth of sampling, can be found at the Farm Carbon Toolkit.

Metric threshold or direction of change

The prevailing assumption is that a higher abundance and richness of mycorrhizae correlate with greater benefits for plant growth. However, it’s crucial to recognize that the relationships between mycorrhizae and plants are dynamic, context-dependent, and span the spectrum between mutualism and parasitism. Root colonization, a key aspect of this interaction, can undergo changes over weekly time scales (Fierer et al., 2021).

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  • Agricultural
  • Forest
  • Grassland
  • Peatland
  • Saltmarsh
  • Wetland

Scale

  • Community
  • Genetic
  • Population

Cost

  • High

Tier

  • Future

Technical expertise

  • High

Standardised methodology

  • Yes