Urbanization and MycorrhizaeInvestigation of impacted symbioses in terrestrial (water quality, air pollution, agricultural pest management, soil water pollution), freshwater, to the marine waters due to local development.

Mycorrhizae FungiMycorrhizal: form

mutualisms with plants• Ectomycorrhizal-form

sheaths around the roots of partner plants

• Endomycorrhizal-invade interior root cells of host plants (also called vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizae, VAM

(Stamets, 2005) (Margulis & Fester Eds., 1991)

http://www.palaeos.com/Plants/Lists/Glossary/Images/Endomycorrhizae.gif

Benefits of Mycorrhizal associations• Increased length and surface area for

absorption • Cool fact: Absorption capacity of mycorrhizal fungi may

be 10-100 times greater than SA of leaves in a forest

(Stamets, 2005)

http://www3.ntu.edu.sg/home/mvvkulish/Image21.jpg

http://www.technion.ac.il/~mdcourse/274203/slides/Digestive%20tract/17-Intestinal%20villi%20Jejunum-A.jpg

http://course1.winona.edu/sberg/IMAGES/mito3.gif

II. Types of Fungi

(Johnson et al., 2006)

2. Nutrient sharing (one mushroom species can connect many acres of a forest in a continuous network of cells)

• Link to coevolution:• Possibility of fungi providing more nutrients

to a tree with which it forms a better mutualistic association (positive feedback)

(Stamets, 2005)

(Johnson et al., 2006)

II. Types of Fungi

(Stamets, 2005)

Douglas Fir

Paper Birch

Western Red Cedar

Ectomycorrhizal

Endomycorrhizal

Nutrient Sharing

Shaded

• Benefits continued… 3. Resistance to

pests

4. Tolerance of extreme conditions

(Johnson et al., 2006) (Bouchez & Roncho, 2008)

(Johnson et al., 2006)

• Benefits continued…5. Soil aggregation

6. Reduced erosion

(Johnson et al., 2006)

• Benefits on different ecological scales:

• Mycorrhizae and herbaceous plants:– Wild leeks (also called ramps) form mutualistic

relationships with mycelium which promote leek health by:

• Bioremediation• Increasing surface area for water uptake• Changing physical and chemical properties of soil

(Leyval & Binet, 1998)

http://greayer.com/studiog/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/mosaic1602239.jpg

Mycoremediation

• Development Problem 1: Fossil fuel emissions• Fossil fuels release polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) • One experiment found that increasing amounts of PAHs

in the soil decreased mycorrhizal colonization of plant roots

• The same experiment found that plants with mycorrhizal associations were able to survive and grow in soils with higher amounts of PAH than plants without these associations

(Leyval & Binet, 1998)(Bouchez et. al, 1995)

• How mycorrhizae bioremediate:– Mycorrhizae bioremediate through bacterial

recruitment and improving soil conditions– Bacteria that are recruited can use PAHs as a

source of carbon and thus break them down and detoxify them

– Link to PRV: Leeks (wild ramps in the PRV) were used in this study and could help detoxify fossil fuel emissions from major highways

(Leyval & Binet, 1998)(Bouchez et. al, 1995)

(Whelan & Rock, 2006)

• Development Problem 2: Input of nitrates into Chesapeake Bay:– One experiment found that Paxillus involutus,

a mycelium associated with Picea abies (Norway spruce) and (Betula pendula) silver birch increased nitrate assimilation (although it was affected by pH)

(Andersson et. al, 1994)