Distinct root‐associated fungal communities may account for the persistence of Podocarpus conifers in tropical forest

Description

Astrid Ferrer, Blaine Martin, Adriana Corrales, and James Dalling study fungi living on the roots of a tropical conifer, in a 2026 paper. Podocarp trees are among the few conifers that persist in closed tropical forests, usually on poor soils. Their roots wear odd nodules and grow in odd places: in soil, on top of leaf litter, and even climbing the trunks of neighbors.

The team read the fungi in roots from each setting and compared them with roots of two common broadleaf trees nearby. The root's setting explained a slice of the fungal mix and shifted some root nutrients. One fungal order dominated all settings, while climbing roots favored another. The conifer's roots held almost none of the common partner fungi that the broadleaf trees carried. The authors suggest this distinct fungal company may help podocarps endure in lean, wet forests.

Catalog record

Source: https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13613075