A summary of the most recent advances that have been made in the field of mycorrhizal ecology

Elucidates mechanisms that determine plant biodiversity - a prerequisite to ensure successful management for the conservation and restoration of ecosystems

Includes supplementary material: [...]

Section A: Introduction.- 1 Towards Ecological Relevance - Progress and Pitfalls in the Path Towards an Understanding of Mycorrhizal Functions in Nature.- Section B: Ecophysiology, Ecosystems Effects and Global Change.- 2 Carbon and Nutrient Fluxes Within and Between Mycorrhizal Plants.- 3 Function and Diversity of Arbuscular Mycorrhizae in Carbon and Mineral Nutrition.- 4 Foraging and Resource Allocation Strategies of Mycorrhizal Fungi in a Patchy Environment.- 5 The Role of Various Types of Mycorrhizal Fungi in Nutrient Cycling and Plant Competition.- 6 Global Change and Mycorrhizal Fungi.- Section C: Biodiversity, Plant and Fungal Communities.- 7 Diversity of Ecto-mycorrhizal Fungal Communities in Relation to the Abiotic Environment.- 8 Genetic Studies of the Structure and Diversity of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal Communities.- 9 Diversity of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Ecosystem Functioning.- 10 Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi as a Determinant of Plant Diversity: In Search for Underlying Mechanisms and General Principles.- 11 Dynamics Within the Plant - Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal Mutualism: Testing the Nature of Community Feedback.- Section D: Multitrophic Interactions.- 12 Mycorrhizae-Herbivore Interactions: Population and Community Consequences.- 13 Actions and Interactions of Soil Invertebrates and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in Affecting the Structure of Plant Communities.- 14 Interactions Between Ecto-mycorrhizal Fungi and Saprotrophic Fungi.- Section E: Host Specificity and Co-evolution.- 15 Mycorrhizal Specificity and Function in Myco-heterotrophic Plants.- 16 Specificity in the Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Symbiosis.- Section F: Conclusions.- 17 Mycorrhizal Ecology: Synthesis and Perspectives.- Taxonomic Index.