Mycorrhizal fungi
From Freepedia
Mycorrhizal fungi refer to species of fungi that form a symbiotic relationship with plants, exchanging nutrients at fungal/root membrane interfaces.
Millions of years ago, trees, flowers and grasses faced many natural stresses, such as low soil fertility, drought and temperature extremes. To survive, most plant species established a symbiotic partnership with a unique group of soil organisms called mycorrhizal fungi. These fungi are considered by some plant scientists to be the biological cornerstone of plant life on earth.
This little known family of beneficial fungi live in and around the roots of 95% of the earth's plant species, serving as a secondary root system, extending themselves far out into the soil. Mycorrhizae extract mineral elements and water from the soil for their host plant in exchange for the plant's sugars. Trees and plants with thriving "mycorrhizal root" systems are better able to survive and thrive in stressful natural and artificial environments. [1] Image:Mycorrhizalfungi.jpg
