Mycorrhizal Fungi in South America

Abstract

It is affirmed that fungi kingdom is more diverse in tropical ecosystems than in temperate ones. However, not all fungi in nature follow that pattern. A good example occurs with symbiotic fungi that form mycorrhiza. Arbuscular (endo-) mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are more diverse in tropical ecosystems but ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungi are more diverse in temperate and boreal ecosystems (Tedersoo et al. 2014). Most important, endo- and ecto-mycorrhizal fungi coexist, even in tropical ecosystems, if host plants with high affinity for mycorrhization are present (Neuenkamp et al. 2018).