Climate Change: Mycorrhizal Fungi Potential

PAGANO, MC; COVACEVICH, F

On Line Conference

Conferencia; Klima2010/Climate2010; 2010

Hamburg University of Applied Sciences

Global change factors rarely occur in isolation and new insights into their impacts on arbuscular mycorrhizas (AM) in moderating ecosystems processes are needed. Variations in the functioning of AM may alter the response of plants to anthropogenic climate change. Moreover, any climate change effects on the extra radical mycelia of AM can consequently impact soil structure, which is essential for facilitating water infiltration, success of sustainable agriculture, and preventing erosion. Studies have revealed that AM are present in tropical dry forests, in temperate grasslands and in riparian forests. In these ecosystems the use of native vegetation to produce fuel wood; cattle and agriculture are increasing; and crops are planted before soil fertility has recovered through long bush fallows, which results in declining soil fertility. In spite of the fact that AM fungi may be especially susceptible to environmental change mixing cropping is little practiced and sustainable management of agroecosystems is just beginning to be implemented. Furthermore the symbiotic plant association with AM has not yet been sufficiently studied nor used efficiently. Mitigation of the expected effects should encompass both reduction of the rate of change of the drivers and development of management practices specifically adapted for each region according to its biological, social, and economic characteristics, in order to achieve the wise management of ecosystem goods and services, restraining a deepening of poverty. This work explore the current information on the effects of climate change, specially in the AM symbioses, drawing on results of research in agroecosystems from Argentina and Brazil.