An available remediation technique--arbuscular mycorrhizal phytoremediation (AMPR)--is further proposed for soils contaminated with phenanthrene and pyrene as representative polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) utilizing a greenhouse pot experiment. The initial concentrations of phenanthrene and/or pyrene in soils were 103 mg kg(-1) and 74 mg kg(-1), respectively. The host plant was alfalfa ...

Most mycorrhizas are 'balanced' mutualistic associations in which the fungus and plant exchange commodities required for their growth and survival. Myco-heterotrophic plants have 'exploitative' mycorrhizas where transfer processes apparently benefit only plants. Exploitative associations are symbiotic (in the broad sense), but are not mutualistic. A new definition of mycorrhizas that encompasse...

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi form mutualistic interactions with the majority of land plants, including some of the most important crop species. The fungus takes up nutrients from the soil, and transfers these nutrients to the mycorrhizal interface in the root, where these nutrients are exchanged against carbon from the host. AM fungi form extensive hyphal networks in the soil and connect w...

Although soil-dwelling Collembola can influence plant growth and nutrient cycling, their specific role in soil food webs is poorly understood. Soil-free microcosm studies suggest that Collembola are primarily fungivores where they feed preferentially on saprophytic fungi (SF) over other fungal types. We directly assessed collembolan consumption of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and SF using...

Robinia pseudoacacia L. (black locust) is a widely planted tree species on Loess Plateau for revegetation. Due to its symbiosis forming capability with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, we explored the influence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on plant biomass, root morphology, root tensile strength and soil aggregate stability in a pot experiment. We inoculated R. pseudoacacia with/without AM...

We grew leek (Allium porrum) in soils of two shooting ranges heavily contaminated with heavy metals in the towns of Zuchwil and Oberuzwil in Switzerland as a bioassay to test the activity of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi in these soils. Soil samples were taken from (1) front of the shooting house (HOUSE), (2) the area between house and target (FIELD) and (3) the berm (BACKSTOP). Samples of ...