Mycorrhizal Systems: Nature’s Hidden Network of Plant Survival

Mycorrhizal systems explain the symbiotic relationship between fungi and plant roots, enhancing nutrient uptake, soil health, ecosystem stability, and climate resilience.

Table of Contents

Context

American scientist Toby Kiers has been awarded the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement for her pioneering research that reveals how vast underground fungal networks regulate plant health, nutrient exchange, and Earth’s climate systems.

About Mycorrhizal Systems

Mycorrhizal networks are symbiotic associations between fungi and plant roots.
These fungi form extensive underground webs that connect plants across ecosystems, enabling the exchange of nutrients, water, and chemical signals.
Toby Kiers’ research has shown that these networks are not passive conduits but economically strategic systems, where fungi and plants actively trade resources like carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus

Examples of Mycorrhizal Systems

Type of Mycorrhiza	Plant Examples	Fungal Examples	Key Features
Arbuscular Mycorrhiza (AM / Endomycorrhiza)	Wheat, Rice, Maize, Sunflower, Legumes	Glomus, Rhizophagus, Acaulospora	Most widespread type; penetrates root cells; crucial for phosphorus uptake; dominant in croplands & grasslands
Ectomycorrhiza (ECM)	Pine (Pinus), Oak (Quercus), Eucalyptus, Birch	Amanita, Boletus, Laccaria, Russula	Forms sheath around roots (does not enter cells); common in forests; improves nitrogen & water uptake
Ericoid Mycorrhiza	Tea, Blueberry, Rhododendron, Heather (Erica)	Rhizoscyphus, Oidiodendron	Adapted to acidic, nutrient-poor soils; important in hill & heath ecosystems
Orchid Mycorrhiza	Orchids (Vanilla, Dendrobium, Orchis)	Rhizoctonia-like fungi	Essential for seed germination; orchids depend on fungi for early growth
Arbutoid Mycorrhiza	Strawberry tree (Arbutus)	Russula, Amanita	Intermediate form between ecto- and endomycorrhiza; found in Mediterranean ecosystems
Ectendomycorrhiza	Willow, Poplar	Wilcoxina	Combines features of ecto- and endomycorrhiza; occurs in stressed or disturbed soils

Significance of Mycorrhizal Systems

Climate regulation: Mycorrhizal fungi store large quantities of carbon in soils, making them critical for climate change mitigation.
Ecosystem stability: They enhance plant resistance to drought, disease, and nutrient stress.
Biodiversity conservation: Underground networks support diverse plant communities by redistributing nutrients.
Rethinking agriculture: Insights challenge chemical-intensive farming and promote soil-centric, regenerative practices.

India’s Potential

India’s forests, grasslands, and agro-ecosystems host rich but under-studied fungal diversity crucial for soil fertility and crop resilience.
Mycorrhizal fungi can significantly support climate-smart agriculture, especially in drought-prone and degraded regions.
Integrating fungal ecology aligns with national priorities such as sustainable agriculture, soil health cards, natural farming, and land restoration under climate commitments.

Tyler Prize

Often called the “Nobel Prize for the Environment,” the Tyler Prize honours individuals whose work delivers transformative insights for environmental protection and sustainability.
The prize is administered by the University of Southern California and was established by John and Alice Tyler in 1973.