Experimental and Theoretical Force Constants as Meaningful Indicator for Interatomic Bonding Characteristics and the Specific Case of Elemental Antimony.

Stable Sb exhibits a rhombohedral structure, often referred to as distorted primitive cubic, with each Sb atom having three short and three longer first neighbor bonds. However, this crystal structure can also be interpreted as being layered, putting emphasis on only three short first neighbor bonds. Therefore, temperature-dependent extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy is carried out at the Sb K-edge in order to obtain more detailed information on local structural and vibrational properties.

Mode of carbon gain and fungal associations of Neuwiedia malipoensis within the evolutionarily early-diverging orchid subfamily Apostasioideae.

Background And Aims: The earliest-diverging orchid lineage, Apostasioideae, consists only of two genera: Apostasia and Neuwiedia. Previous reports of Apostasia nipponica indicated a symbiotic association with an ectomycorrhiza-forming Ceratobasidiaceae clade and partial utilization of fungal carbon during the adult stage. However, the trophic strategy of Neuwiedia throughout its development remains unidentified.

Mycoheterotrophy in the wood-wide web.

The prevalence and potential functions of common mycorrhizal networks, or the 'wood-wide web', resulting from the simultaneous interaction of mycorrhizal fungi and roots of different neighbouring plants have been increasingly capturing the interest of science and society, sometimes leading to hyperbole and misinterpretation. Several recent reviews conclude that popular claims regarding the widespread nature of these networks in forests and their role in the transfer of resources and information between plants lack evidence. Here we argue that mycoheterotrophic plants associated with ectomycorrhizal or arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi require resource transfer through common mycorrhizal networks and thus are natural evidence for the occurrence and function of these networks, offering a largely overlooked window into this methodologically challenging underground phenomenon.

Novel insights into orchid mycorrhiza functioning from stable isotope signatures of fungal pelotons.

Stable isotope signatures of fungal sporocarps have been instrumental in identifying carbon gains of chlorophyllous orchids from a fungal source. Yet, not all mycorrhizal fungi produce macroscopic sporocarps and frequently fungi of different taxa occur in parallel in orchid roots. To overcome this obstacle, we investigated stable isotope signatures of fungal pelotons extracted from orchid roots and compared these data to the respective orchid and reference plant tissues.