title: Nitrogen and carbon/nitrogen dynamics in arbuscular mycorrhiza: the great unknown.
abstract: Many studies have established that arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi transfer N to the host plant. However, the role and importance of arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) in plant N nutrition is still uncertain, as are the C/N interactions within the symbiosis. Published reports provide differing, and often contradictory, results that are difficult to combine in a coherent framework. This review explores questions such as: What makes the difference between a positive and a negative effect of AM on plant N nutrition? Is the mycorrhizal N response (MNR) correlated to the mycorrhizal growth response (MGR), and how or under which conditions? Is the MNR effect on plant growth C mediated? Is plant C investment on fungal growth related to N needs or N benefit? How is the N for C trade between symbionts regulated? The patternless nature of current knowledge is made evident, and possible reasons for this are discussed.
authors: Departamento de Microbiología del Suelo y Sistemas Simbióticos, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, CSIC, Granada, Spain. ambcorrea@gmail.com.|Center for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal. ambcorrea@gmail.com.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Corrêa
authors: Center for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Cruz
authors: Departamento de Microbiología del Suelo y Sistemas Simbióticos, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, CSIC, Granada, Spain.
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Ferrol
mesh_terms: D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism; D038821:Mycorrhizae / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D063245:Plant Development; D010944:Plants / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D013559:Symbiosis
chemical_list: D002244:Carbon; D009584:Nitrogen
keywords: Arbuscular mycorrhiza; Carbon; Mycorrhizal growth responses; Nitrogen; Symbiosis cost-benefit