What is a mycorrhiza?
Q: What is a mycorrhiza?
A: A mycorrhiza is a symbiotic association between a fungus and the roots of a plant where the fungus lives inside the plant roots and in the earth.
Q: Why are mycorrhizas important for plant growth in many ecosystems?
A: Mycorrhizas are important for plant growth in many ecosystems because the fungal hyphae are more efficient than plant roots at absorbing nutrients.
Q: What percentage of all land plant species have mycorrhiza?
A: At least 80% of all land plant species (and over 90% of families) have mycorrhiza.
Q: How many species of fungi and plants are involved in mycorrhizas?
A: Mycorrhizas involve about 6000 species of fungi and 240,000 species of plants.
Q: What are the two main types of mycorrhizas?
A: The two main types of mycorrhizas are ectomycorrhiza and endomycorrhiza.
Q: What is the difference between ectomycorrhizal fungi and endomycorrhizal fungi?
A: The difference between ectomycorrhizal fungi and endomycorrhizal fungi is that the hyphae of ectomycorrhizal fungi do not penetrate individual cells within the root, while the hyphae of endomycorrhizal fungi penetrate the cell wall and invaginate the cell membrane.
Q: What is Wood Wide Web?
A: Wood Wide Web is a term used for mycorrhizal networks in forests.
