Mycoheterotrophy in the wood-wide web

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Mycology
• Plant Biology

Background:

• Common mycorrhizal networks (CMNs), or the 'wood-wide web', are increasingly studied but face skepticism regarding their prevalence and function.
• Popular claims about CMNs often lack robust scientific evidence, leading to misinterpretations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To argue that mycoheterotrophic plants serve as natural evidence for the existence and function of CMNs.
• To highlight the role of mycoheterotrophs in understanding resource transfer through CMNs.

Main Methods:

• Reviewing scientific literature on mycoheterotrophic plants and their interactions with mycorrhizal fungi.
• Analyzing the distribution and ecological role of mycoheterotrophs to infer CMN prevalence and function.

Main Results:

• Mycoheterotrophic plants, reliant on mycorrhizal fungi, necessitate resource transfer through CMNs.
• The widespread occurrence of mycoheterotrophs suggests CMNs are prevalent, especially in forests.
• CMNs facilitate net carbon transfer among diverse plant species via shared fungi.

Conclusions:

• Mycoheterotrophic plants offer a unique perspective on the challenging study of underground mycorrhizal networks.
• A continuum of carbon transfer mechanisms likely exists within CMNs.
• Understanding mycoheterotroph biology is key to studying mycorrhizal-mediated plant-to-plant transfers.