MYCORRHIZAL ENDOGONACEAE IN A NEW ZEALAND FOREST

Abstract

SUMMARY Most vascular plants and some liverworts in a New Zealand coniferous‐dicotyledonous forest harboured typical vesicular‐arbuscular endophytes, Rhizophagus tenuis or mixtures of the two. At least nine sporing fungi were present but non‐sporing races probably predominated. Spores were present in variable densities (2–17 × 10 3 1 −1 ) in forest soils but their distribution was not obviously related to that of host plants. In inoculation experiments, fungi had a wide host range and, in terms of growth response, hosts showed no clear preferences for particular endophytes. There was some indication of fungi being specific to soil type. Many tree seedlings begin growth perched on rocks or logs and Rhizophagus tenuis is a pioneer endophyte there.