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The Role of Fungal Symbioses in the Adaptation of Plants to High Stress Environments

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Abstract

All plants studied in natural ecosystemsare symbiotic with fungi that either resideentirely (endophytes) or partially(mycorrhizae) within plants. Thesesymbioses appear to adapt to biotic andabiotic stresses and may be responsible forthe survival of both plant hosts and fungalsymbionts in high stress habitats. Here wedescribe the role of symbiotic fungi inplant stress tolerance and present astrategy based on adaptive symbiosis topotentially mitigate the impacts of globalchange on plant communities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. U.S. Geological Survey, WFRC, 6505 N E 65th Street, Seattle, WA, 98115

    Russell J. Rodriguez & Regina S. Redman

  2. Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195-5325

    Russell J. Rodriguez & Regina S. Redman

  3. Department of Microbiology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717

    Regina S. Redman & Joan M. Henson

  4. Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717

    Joan M. Henson

Authors
  1. Russell J. Rodriguez
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  2. Regina S. Redman
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  3. Joan M. Henson
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Correspondence to Russell J. Rodriguez.

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Rodriguez, R.J., Redman, R.S. & Henson, J.M. The Role of Fungal Symbioses in the Adaptation of Plants to High Stress Environments. Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change 9, 261–272 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:MITI.0000029922.31110.97

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