Impact of human activities on mycorrhizae

Mycorrhizal fungi form a mutualistic symbiosis with plants and play an important role in regulating community and ecosystem functioning. These plant-fungal associations are geographically widespread, being found in terrestrial ecosystems ranging from deserts to lowland tropical rain forests to high latitudes. Studies of mycorrhizal community dynamics and activity are important in that these organisms influence plant production and nutrient cycling in terrestrial biomes. Moreover, such studies are necessary to better understand how significantly human activities can affect mycorrhizal activity, functioning and succession. For example, in Canada and other developed countries, agricultural practices such as crop rotations, pesticide use and fertilizer applications can eliminate or severely reduce the incidence of mycorrhizal activity. Likewise, slash and burn production systems in the tropics and the clear cutting of forests in temperate regions can cause similar losses in mycorrhizal activity and diversity. Other anthropogenic activities such as mining, generation of air pollution, and waste disposal are also detrimental to mycorrhizae. Understanding the consequences of human activities for mycorrhizal fungi and their associations with plants can help us find ways to protect and conserve the diversity of these important soil organisms, and encourage strategies to alleviate the impacts of past disturbances.