Switching partners: a driving force for tree productivity in a changing environment?

Mutually beneficial partnerships between mycorrhizal fungi and plants are critical to satisfy the carbon demands of the fungi and the mineral nutrient needs of the plant. Many eucalypts form mycorrhizal associations with two different and diverse groups of fungi, a trait shared by only a few ecologically and economically significant tree species. While each of these groups of fungi are important contributors to global primary productivity, the benefits that trees derive from these dual associations are not fully known. This research will explain the basis for this diversity and determine whether trees will make greater demands of their partners in future climates.