THE MYCORRHIZAL STATUS OF SELECTED PLANT-SPECIES FROM CONNECTICUT WETLANDS AND TRANSITION ZONES

Vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi were investigated in the roots of flowering plants and ferns obtained from a variety of Connecticut f reshwater wetland habitats. We sampled 290 plants from 89 species of 7 5 genera disposed among 42 families of flowering plants. All species o f mature plants as well as selected young plants on developing shoreli nes were colonized by mycorrhizal fungi, suggesting that this phenomen on is common in the development of vegetation associated with fluctuat ing water, nutrient, and oxygen conditions. The purpose of this report is to make soil conservationists, wetland agents, and others concerne d with wetlands aware of this relationship as they select plants for u se in restoration, and to point out the widespread nature of the endom ycorrhizal phenomenon.