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12 Orchid Mycorrhizas: Molecular Ecology, Physiology, Evolution and Conservation Aspects

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Fungal Associations

Part of the book series: The Mycota ((MYCOTA,volume 9))

Abstract

Scientific interest in orchid mycorrhizas, the symbiotic association between orchid roots and fungi, continues to grow. Advances in molecular identification techniques have enabled the detection of a wide array of fungal partners of orchids. The use of stable and radioactive isotopes has confirmed many of these associations and provided insight into the diversity of nutrient flow between symbionts. Fungal specificity patterns in orchids have been investigated in terms of their evolutionary and adaptive significances and their role in orchid speciation. An understanding of the mycorrhizal biology of rare orchid species is also essential for conservation procedures. This review is intended to provide an overview of contemporary approaches to studying orchid mycorrhizas. It elaborates on what has been gleaned from these studies with regards the ecology, physiology, evolution and conservation aspects of orchid mycorrhizas and highlights areas of the association that need further exploration.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the large number of students and colleagues who have supported their research on orchid mycorrhizas in recent years. J.D. thanks the Australian Orchid Foundation for support of his research. M.-A.S. and F.M. thank the Société Française d’Orchidophile and its members for continuous support and participation in their research programmes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Australian Centre for Sustainable Catchments and Faculty of Sciences, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, 4350, Australia

    J. D. W. Dearnaley

  2. School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg, 3209, South Africa

    F. Martos

  3. Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CNRS, UMR 5157), 1919 Route de Mende, 34293, cedex 5 Montpellier, France

    M.-A. Selosse

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  1. J. D. W. Dearnaley
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  3. M.-A. Selosse
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Correspondence to J. D. W. Dearnaley .

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  1. Technical University of Munich, Alte Akademie 6, Freising, 85354, Bayern, Germany

    Bertold Hock

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Dearnaley, J.D.W., Martos, F., Selosse, MA. (2012). 12 Orchid Mycorrhizas: Molecular Ecology, Physiology, Evolution and Conservation Aspects. In: Hock, B. (eds) Fungal Associations. The Mycota, vol 9. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-30826-0_12

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