Conclusions and future research
Harnessing mycorrhizal fungi for a sustainable forest

This article reviews current knowledge of the biology and ecology of mycorrhizal symbioses in forest ecosystems. This research has confirmed that mycorrhizal fungi play a key role in terrestrial ecosystems by regulating biogeochemical cycles, including the carbon cycle. High-throughput sequencing techniques enable us to identify the diversity of mycorrhizal fungi communities, map their spatial distribution and monitor their dynamics in boreal, temperate and tropical forests. Comparative genomics of hundreds of mycorrhizal fungi has enabled us to better understand the evolution of these mutualistic symbionts from their saprotrophic ancestors. These genomic resources also facilitate the study of the biological, genetic and evolutionary processes governing the development and functioning of different mycorrhizal symbioses. Finally, they enable us to study the functions expressed by forest...