Premium
Tracking carbon from the atmosphere to the rhizosphere
Author(s) -
Olsson Pål A.,
Johnson Nancy C.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
ecology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.852
H-Index - 265
eISSN - 1461-0248
pISSN - 1461-023X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2005.00831.x
Subject(s) - rhizosphere , biology , botany , mycelium , hypha , symbiosis , mycorrhiza , fungus , plantago , bacteria , genetics
Turnover rates of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi may influence storage of soil organic carbon (SOC). We examined the longevity of AM hyphae in monoxenic cultures; and we also used 13 C incorporation into signature fatty acids to study C dynamics in a mycorrhizal symbiosis involving Glomus intraradices and Plantago lanceolata . 13 C enrichment of signature fatty acids showed rapid transfer of plant assimilates to AM fungi and a gradual release of C from roots to rhizosphere bacteria, but at a much slower rate. Furthermore, most C assimilated by AM fungi remained 32 days after labelling. These findings indicate that 13 C labelled fatty acids can be used to track C flux from the atmosphere to the rhizosphere and that retention of C in AM fungal mycelium may contribute significantly to SOC.