Till Heller, Prof. Dr. Andrea Polle


The influence of a land use gradient on mycorrhizal functional diversity

Soil fungi form mutualistic associations, the so-called mycorrhiza, with plant roots. Mycorrhizas improve the nutrient supply of the plants and protect the roots from soil-born stresses. Plants support their mycorrhizal associates with carbohydrates. Mycorrhizas, thus, constitute a major path of carbon into the soil and play an important role in phosphorus, nitrogen and carbon cycles. Currently our understanding how anthropogenic activities alter mycorrhizal community structures and functions are not well understood. The present studies exploit the unique opportunity to study the change in land use from an extensively used to an intensively managed grassland ecosystem to an agro-forest situation with poplars as fast growing trees species on mycorrhizal diversity and abundance. Functional analyses will include studies of mycorrhizal exoenzyme activities and experimental approaches.