Mycorrhizal fungi associated with plants in ground-water fed wetlands

Studies have documented the flora, fauna, and soils of ground-water fed wet lands, but very little is known about their plant-mycorrhizal associations. This study was designed to determine the presence of arbuscular mycorrhiza l (AM) fungi in several wetland plant species associated with fens in west central Ohio, USA. Roots of wetland plant species collected at four sites h ad mycorrhizal fungal colonization levels ranging from 0 to 61.5%. Mycorrhi zal associations occurred in plants of all wetland categories (OBL, FACW, F AC). We propose that these peatlands have lower nutrient availability than some other wetlands and thus may be more dependent on these root fungi for nutrient uptake. Mycorrhizal fungi may be an important consideration in the functional restoration of ground-water driven wetland systems.