Agroecology: the key role of arbuscular mycorrhizas in ecosystem services

Abstract

The beneficial effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi on plant performance and soil health are essential for the sustainable management of agricultural ecosystems. Nevertheless, since the 'first green revolution', less attention has been given to beneficial soil microorganisms in general and to AM fungi in particular. Human society benefits from a multitude of resources and processes from natural and managed ecosystems, to which AM make a crucial contribution. These resources and processes, which are called ecosystem services, include products like food and processes like nutrient transfer. Many people have been under the illusion that these ecosystem services are free, invulnerable and infinitely available; taken for granted as public benefits, they lack a formal market and are traditionally absent from society's balance sheet. In 1997, a team of researchers from the USA, Argentina and the Netherlands put an average price tag of US $33 trillion a year on these fundamental ecosystem services. The present review highlights the key role that the AM symbiosis can play as an ecosystem service provider to guarantee plant productivity and quality in emerging systems of sustainable agriculture. The appropriate management of ecosystem services rendered by AM will impact on natural resource conservation and utilisation with an obvious net gain for human society.

Changes in the composition of native root arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities during a short-term cover crop-maize succession

“…of biotic and abiotic stresses, reducing the need of chemical fertilizers and pesticides and consequently the environmental impact of agriculture (Smith and Read 2008). Moreover, AMF provide key ecosystem services, such as soil aggregation and C sequestration (Gianinazzi et al 2010) and may stimulate the biosynthesis of beneficial plant secondary metabolites, contributing to the production of safe and high quality food . A large body of investigations showed that AMF uptake and transfer soil mineral nutrients, such as phosphorus (P), nitrogen (N), sulphur (S), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) by means of extraradical mycorrhizal hyphae, which spread from colonized roots into the soil (Giovannetti et al 2001;Avio et al 2006;Blanke et al 2011).…”

Arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis and active ingredients of medicinal plants: current research status and prospectives

“…Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi contribute greatly to crop productivity and ecosystem sustainability in new plant production strategies (Gianinazzi et al 2010) and are essential for the sustainable management of agricultural ecosystems (Jeffries et al 2003;Smith and Read 2008;Barrios 2007). They promote the accumulation of effective ingredients of medicinal plants, which has become a hot area of research lately.…”

Occurrence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in high altitude sites of the Patagonian Altoandina region in Nahuel Huapi National Park (Argentina)

“…Those fungi provide several ecosystem services including promoting plant growth and nutrient uptake, increasing plant resistance to drought along with protection against biotic stresses, and enhancing soil stability and water retention (Gianinazzi et al 2010). Therefore, that symbiotic association constitutes an key strategy for assisting plants to cope with extreme environmental conditions (Smith & Read 2008), such as occur in high-altitude ecosystems.…”