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Mycoheterotrophy in the wood-wide web

Nature Plants (2024)Cite this article

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Abstract

The prevalence and potential functions of common mycorrhizal networks, or the ‘wood-wide web’, resulting from the simultaneous interaction of mycorrhizal fungi and roots of different neighbouring plants have been increasingly capturing the interest of science and society, sometimes leading to hyperbole and misinterpretation. Several recent reviews conclude that popular claims regarding the widespread nature of these networks in forests and their role in the transfer of resources and information between plants lack evidence. Here we argue that mycoheterotrophic plants associated with ectomycorrhizal or arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi require resource transfer through common mycorrhizal networks and thus are natural evidence for the occurrence and function of these networks, offering a largely overlooked window into this methodologically challenging underground phenomenon. The wide evolutionary and geographic distribution of mycoheterotrophs and their interactions with a broad phylogenetic range of mycorrhizal fungi indicate that common mycorrhizal networks are prevalent, particularly in forests, and result in net carbon transfer among diverse plants through shared mycorrhizal fungi. On the basis of the available scientific evidence, we propose a continuum of carbon transfer options within common mycorrhizal networks, and we discuss how knowledge on the biology of mycoheterotrophic plants can be instrumental for the study of mycorrhizal-mediated transfers between plants.

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Fig. 1: The intricate root matrix of a forest ecosystem on the slopes of Mount Pirongia in New Zealand.
Fig. 2: Mycoheterotrophy in plants and its phylogenetic and geographic distribution.
Fig. 3: The autotrophy–mycoheterotrophy continuum of mycorrhizal plants.

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Acknowledgements

V.S.F.T.M. thanks the European Research Council under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement no. 101045057). S.I.F.G. thanks the Novo Nordisk Foundation (Silva Nova; grant no. NNF20OC0059948). M.I.B. thanks the Leverhulme Research Centre for the Holobiont.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Understanding Evolution, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

    Vincent S. F. T. Merckx, Deyi Wang & Cas Verbeek

  2. Evolutionary and Population Biology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

    Vincent S. F. T. Merckx & Cas Verbeek

  3. Above-belowground Interactions, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands

    Sofia I. F. Gomes

  4. Plant Population Biology and Conservation, Department of Biology, Plant Conservation and Population Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

    Hans Jacquemyn

  5. Laboratory of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany

    Franziska E. Zahn & Gerhard Gebauer

  6. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, UK

    Martin I. Bidartondo

  7. Imperial College London, London, UK

    Martin I. Bidartondo

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  1. Vincent S. F. T. Merckx
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Contributions

The focus of this Perspective was conceived by all the authors. V.S.F.T.M. led the writing, with contributions from S.I.F.G., D.W., C.V., H.J., F.E.Z., G.G. and M.I.B.

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Correspondence to Vincent S. F. T. Merckx.

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Merckx, V.S.F.T., Gomes, S.I.F., Wang, D. et al. Mycoheterotrophy in the wood-wide web. Nat. Plants (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-024-01677-0

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