Functional diversity in arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbioses: the contribution of the mycorrhizal P uptake pathway is not correlated with mycorrhizal responses in growth or total P uptake

• We investigated structural and functional diversity in arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbioses involving three plant species and three AM fungi and measured contributions of the fungi to P uptake using compartmented pots and 33P. The plant/fungus combinations varied in growth and P responses. Flax (Linum usitatissimum) responded positively to all fungi, and medic (Medicago truncatula) to Glomus caledonium and G. intraradices, but not Gigaspora rosea. Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) showed no positive responses. • Hyphal growth in soil was very low for Gi. rosea and high for both Glomus spp. Hyphal lengths in root + hyphal compartment (RHC) and hyphal compartment (HC) were similar for G. intraradices, but much…