Fungus in Redwoods
Redwood trees are impressive. Found in coastal areas of northern California and southern Oregon, these giants can grow to be over 300 feet tall and have life spans that can exceed 2,000 years. Redwoods have a symbiotic relationship with one fungus that has helped it survive for centuries.
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Mycorrhizal Fungus
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The long time symbiotic companion of the redwood tree is the mycorrhizal fungus. It attaches itself to the tree's root system and, aside from the occasional mushroom on the forest floor, is largely undetectable.
Root Size
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Redwood roots are surprisingly shallow for a tree that size, normally reaching only about 6 feet below the soil surface.
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Boosting the Roots
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The mycorrhizal fungus grows faster and reaches farther than the tree's root system, so it has access to more water and nutrients. It pulls these items, including such nutrients as nitrogen and phosphorus, and transports them to the tree's roots.
Fungal Reward
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In return, the fungus takes sugars and nutrients created by photosynthesis from the tree's root system. Mycorrhizal fungus does not have the enzymes needed to take nutrients from the soil, so its survival depends on finding and attaching to a host tree.
Tree Distribution
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The dependence of the redwood trees on this fungus was illustrated when the Earth suffered a climate change about 20 million years ago that also changed the soil composition. The fungus was no longer able to pull the needed nutrients from the soil except in the small strip of land along the Pacific Coast, limiting the tree's range to this area.
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References
- Photo Credit giant trunk image by Pierrette Guertin from Fotolia.com
