Researchers from Syracuse University and the University of Minnesota find that warming trends will likely result in major disturbances of networks of fungi potentially harming forest resilience.
Researchers from Syracuse University and the University of Minnesota find that warming trends will likely result in major disturbances of networks of fungi potentially harming forest resilience.
Children are taught to leave wild mushrooms alone because of their potential to be poisonous. But trees on the other hand depend on fungi for their well-being. Look no further than ectomycorrhizal fungi, which are organisms that colonize the roots of many tree species where the boreal ecosystem (zone encompassing Earth’s northernmost forests) and the temperate ecosystem (zone between the tropical and boreal regions) meet. This area features a mix of boreal trees including needle-leaved evergreens and temperate tree species including maple and oak.
Just like a healthy human relationship, trees and fungi work well together because they help one another. When the ectomycorrhizal fungi attach themselves to tree roots, they acquire carbon in the form of sugars from their tree hosts and in turn provide the trees with important nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous. It’s an important symbiotic relationship that drives ecosystem function and resilience.
Read more at: Syracuse University
Amanita muscaria, an ectomycorrhizal fungus, from the B4WARMED experiment. These types of fungi play an important role in forest health and may be in danger under current levels of climate warming. (Photo Credit: Louis Mielke)
