Fungal biomass and ectomycorrhizal community assessment of phosphorus responsive plantations.

Ectomycorrhizal fungi and non-ectomycorrhizal fungi are responsive to changes in environmental and nutrient availabilities. Although many species of ectomycorrhizas are known to enhance the uptake of phosphorus and other nutrients for , it is not understood how to optimize these communities to have tangible effects on plantation silviculture and P use efficiency. The first step of this process is the identification of native fungi present in the system that are associated with and influence P uptake efficiency.