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Orchids and fungi -- partners for life
August 14, 2009Three Thai orchids have been found to rely on a wide range of fungi to help them take carbon out of the soil instead of producing their own organic carbon. A detailed study of the relationship, published in the open access journal BMC Biology, also features stunning pictures of the plants.
Marc-André Selosse and Mélanie Roy, from the Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, Montpellier, France, studied Aphyllorchis montana, A. caudata and Cephalanthera exigua orchids with Suyanee Vessabutr and Santi Watthana from the Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, Thailand. These orchids have no chlorophyll and rely on fungi colonizing their roots for their carbon supply.
The plants, which grow on the ground in mountain forests, were collected from 10 different sampling sites in diverse parts of Thailand. The two Aphyllorchis orchids studied were found to associate with a wide range of fungi, while the Cephalanthera was much more specific. Selosse said, "We show for the first time that certain tropical orchids associate with highly diverse soil fungi colonizing their roots; using stable isotopes, we show that they are likely to use these fungi as a carbon source". Most importantly for conservation concerns, all these fungi associate in turn with the roots of nearby green trees, where they collect carbon for the orchids.
Speaking about the results of the study, Selosse said, "Plants really interact with fungi in an unexpectedly diverse way - the impression one gains is that there is a great need for more research on biological interactions in the tropics to unravel this diversity".
BioMed Central
Speaking about the results of the study, Selosse said, "Plants really interact with fungi in an unexpectedly diverse way - the impression one gains is that there is a great need for more research on biological interactions in the tropics to unravel this diversity".
BioMed Central
Orchids Current Events and Orchids News RSSLarge Trees Declining in Yosemite
Large trees have declined in Yosemite National Park during the 20th century, and warmer climate conditions may play a role.
Ferns took to the trees and thrived
As flowering plants like giant trees quickly rose to dominate plant communities during the Cretaceous period, the ferns that had preceded them hardly saw it as a disappointment.
Effects of climate change vary greatly across plant families
Drawing on records dating back to the journals of Henry David Thoreau, scientists at Harvard University have found that different plant families near Walden Pond have borne the effects of climate change in strikingly different ways.
Heavy metals in the Peak District -- evidence from bugs in blanket bogs
Bacteria that consume heavy metals have been found in some of the most contaminated parts of the Peak District in the Southern Pennines and may be changing the pollutants into more toxic forms that could leak out into reservoirs.
DNA 'barcode' identified for plants
A 'barcode' gene that can be used to distinguish between the majority of plant species on Earth has been identified by scientists who publish their findings in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal.
The conservation lens
The definition of conservation priorities for biodiversity often focuses only on the numbers of vertebrate animals and seed plants in the northern hemisphere or in the tropics.
New animal and plant species found in Vietnam
World Wildlife Fund scientists said today that the discovery of 11 new animal and plant species in a remote area in central Vietnam underscores the importance of conservation efforts in the ancient tropical forests of the region.
Diverse tropical forests defy metabolic ecology models
As global change accelerates, quantifying the role of forests in the carbon cycle becomes ever more urgent. Modelers seek simple predictors of forest biomass and carbon flux.
New Principal Of Engineering Announced At Imperial College London
Imperial College London today announces the appointment of Dr Julia King as its new Principal of the Faculty of Engineering. Dr Julia King CBE FREng joins Imperial from the Institute of Physics, where she has been Chief Executive since September 2002. She is expected to join Imperial later this year. Sir Richard Sykes, Rector of Imperial College London, said: "We are very pleased to have attracted someone of Julia's high calibre. Engineering is a key part of Imperial, and Julia's experience and enthusiasm are crucial to build on Imperial's world class reputation, and take it forward." Imperial's Faculty of Engineering is the largest in the UK, with the largest number of academic sta
Students discover new species of spider
As film buffs queue to watch the new Spider-man movie, geography students from the University of Sussex have gone one better by discovering a new species of spider in the wild. The second year undergraduates were taking part in a field course to the Seychelles, one of the most biologically diverse places on the planet. As part of this trip the students were responsible for helping to set insect traps in the Vallée de Mai, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on Praslin, the second-largest island in the main Seychelles group. An undisturbed tract of palm forest, the area is renowned for being home to the remarkable Coco de Mer double coconut, as well as vanilla orchids and a host of rare birds
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Mini Tranquility Platter - Phalaenopsis Orchid by FIORI BELLI Tranquil and enchanting, no other orchid offers more style and grace than a Phalaenopsis. Promising long lasting beauty, our orchid is wonderfully designed with faux roots and moss and placed in an elegant platter. Tranquility is yours for the asking. 12 in. W x 18 in. H |
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United Industries Corp 10910-1 Orchid Food by United Industries Corp Orchid food for all types of orchids with Nutrigro for more blooms. Water soluble. 8 oz. weatherproof, resealable bag. Analysis: 30 10 10. 8 oz. |
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