Saprotrophic capabilities as functional traits to study functional diversity and resilience of ectomycorrhizal community |
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Authors: | Ken Cullings Pierre-Emmanuel Courty |
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Institution: | (1) NASA-Ames Research Center, MS 239-11, Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000, USA;(2) Botanical Institute, University of Basel, 4056 Basel, Switzerland |
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Abstract: | In an accompanying editorial Dr Petr Baldrian made a case casting doubt on our recent work addressing the saprophytic potential
of ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungi. Dr Baldrian’s statements illustrate a very valid truth: the book is still very much open on
this subject. The point he raised that the only logical reason for these fungi to be responding to high carbon demand or decreased
host photosynthetic capacity by up-regulating enzymes is for the purpose of carbon acquisition is valid as well. Despite this,
he makes the case that there is no compelling evidence that EM fungi exhibit saprophytic activity. The concept central to
Dr Baldrian’s conclusion is that even though some EM fungi possess the genes necessary for saprophytic behaviour and may even
express these genes, EM fungi do not inhabit a position in the soil column that provides access to usable substrate. In this
paper we present both previously published and newly obtained data that demonstrate that this assumption is erroneous, and
we present arguments that place the saprophytic potential of EM fungi within a broad ecological context. |
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