Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 19, 2026

Investigation of Plant Interactions Across Common Mycorrhizal Networks Using Rotated Cores
Published on: March 26, 2019
Evolution of mycorrhiza systems
1Mycorrhiza Research Group, School of Science, Food and Horticulture, University of Western Sydney, PO Box 10, Kingswood, NSW 2747, Australia. cairney@uws.edu.au
Abstract:
Most terrestrial plants live in mutualistic symbiosis with root-infecting mycorrhizal fungi. Fossil records and molecular clock dating suggest that all extant land plants have arisen from an ancestral arbuscular mycorrhizal condition. Arbuscular mycorrhizas evolved concurrently with the first colonisation of land by plants some 450-500 million years ago and persist in most extant plant taxa. Ectomycorrhizas (about 200 million years ago) and ericoid mycorrhizas (about 100 million years ago) evolved subsequently as the organic matter content of some ancient soils increased and sclerophyllous vegetation arose as a response to nutrient-poor soils respectively. Mycorrhizal associations appear to be the result of relatively diffuse coevolutionary processes. While early events in the evolution of mycorrhizal symbioses may have involved reciprocal genetic changes in ancestral plants and free-living fungi, available evidence points largely to ongoing parallel evolution of the partners in response to environmental change.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
The Roles of Bacteria and Fungi in Plant Nutrition
Epiphytes, Parasites, and Carnivores
Overview of Fungi
Fungal Group Zygomycota
Evolution of New Traits in Microbes
Microbial Interactions: Mutualism

