Abstract

Central to soil health and plant productivity in natural ecosystems are in situ soil microbial communities, of which mycorrhizal fungi are an integral component, regulating nutrient transfer between plants and the surrounding soil via extensive mycelial networks. Such networks are supported by plant-derived carbon and are likely to be enhanced under coppiced biomass plantations, a forestry practice that has been highlighted recently as a viable means of providing an alternative source of energy to fossil fuels, with potentially favourable consequences for carbon mitigation. Here, we explore ways in which biomass forestry, in conjunction with mycorrhizal fungi, can offer a more holistic approach to addressing several topical environmental issues, including 'carbon-neutral' energy, ecologically sustainable land management and CO2 sequestration.

Published in

Trends in Plant Science
2009, Volume: 14, number: 10, pages: 542-549

SLU Authors

• Weih, Martin

  • Department of Crop Production Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Agricultural Science
Renewable Bioenergy Research


Publication Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tplants.2009.08.004

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/26399