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Symbioses: Assisting Plant Success in Aquatic Settings

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The Wetland Book

Abstract

Plants form associations with fungi in leaves, stems, and roots. Mycorrhizas develop in roots. Generally, plants benefit through increased nutrition in exchange for carbohydrates. Mycorrhizas are associated with increased tolerance to environmental stressors and competitive ability. While water quality and quantity affect mycorrhizas, several types are found in wetlands. Arbuscular mycorrhizas are the most widespread, being characterized by internal branched structures (arbuscules). Dark septate endophytes are a poorly studied but wide-ranging group that are seen as darkly colored hyphae on and within roots. Ectomycorrhizas are associated with tree species and while present in wetlands, their function is unclear. Orchids and ericaceous plants form mycorrhrizas called orchid and ericoid mycorrhizas; their functions in wetland plants are also poorly studied. Fungi living in shoot tissues (shoot endophytes) are ubiquitous being found in terrestrial and wetland environments. While altered hydrology can affect wetland endophyte ecology, the impacts on vegetation are currently unknown.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON, Canada

    Kevin J. Stevens

  2. Weatherford College, Weatherford, TX, USA

    Bishnu R. Twanabasu

  3. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA

    Demetra Kandalepas

Authors
  1. Kevin J. Stevens
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  2. Bishnu R. Twanabasu
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  3. Demetra Kandalepas
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kevin J. Stevens .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Land, Water and Society, Charles Sturt University, Albury, NSW, Australia

    C. Max Finlayson

  2. International Water Security Network, University of the West of England, Bristol, UK

    Mark Everard

  3. UNESCO-IHE, Institute for Water Education, Delft, The Netherlands

    Kenneth Irvine

  4. RM Wetlands and Environment Ltd., Littleworth, Oxfordshire, UK

    Robert J. McInnes

  5. U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Lafayette, LA, USA

    Beth A. Middleton

  6. Aquatic Ecosystems Group, Department of Water Science and Engineering, UNESCO-IHE, Institute for Water Education, Delft, The Netherlands

    Anne A. van Dam

  7. Institute for Land, Water and Society, Charles Sturt University, Albury, NSW, Australia

    Nick C. Davidson

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Stevens, K.J., Twanabasu, B.R., Kandalepas, D. (2018). Symbioses: Assisting Plant Success in Aquatic Settings. In: Finlayson, C.M., et al. The Wetland Book. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9659-3_49

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