Dynamics of ectomycorrhizal communities during plant succession
Harnessing mycorrhizal fungi for a sustainable forest

The importance of associations between soil micro-organisms and plants means that plant and microbial communities are totally interdependent. The dynamics of mycorrhizal fungi communities during plant succession significantly influence the composition, diversity, productivity and stability of the plant community, and vice versa. But many other factors also influence the composition and dynamics of mycorrhizal communities. These include tree age, soil composition and structure, nutrient and water availability, humus and litter forms, degree of canopy closure and extent of herbaceous layer. They evolve with the age of the forest stand and regulate the composition, demography and dynamics of soil microbial communities, including mycorrhizal fungi.

The chronology of the appearance of different species of ectomycorrhizal fungi was initially studied on the basis of successive...