MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI AND QUATERNARY PLANT MIGRATIONS

A new set of questions are considered about the possible importance of mycorrhizal fungi to Quaternary plant migrations. Data on Holocene mi grations of European tree taxa are considered suggestive of a possible effect caused by slower migration of large-spored below-ground fruiti ng arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi compared to more mobile ectomycorrhiza l fungi. The importance of fossil fungal spores in testing such ideas is stressed. Mycorrhizal migration may be the rate-determing step in s ome plant migrations.