Beech & Laccaria amethystina

[Fungus]

Documentation of the interaction of the pioneer ectomycorrhizal symbiont Laccaria amethystina with the fine roots of beech and its seedlings.

 

Photo 1. Fruiting of L. amethystina in the dripping zone of the outer crown projection from the fine roots of two neighbouring beeches, that drop most of their seeds in this area. In this zone, the to the ectmycorrhizae on the fine roots of the "mother" trees connected hyphae of L. amethystina colonize the seedlings' roots directly after germination to establish a "nursing" relationship (providing energy/sugar) between the "mother" tree and the seedling until the young beech can stand on its own depending on its own foliage.

Photo 2. Small group of FB's probably fruiting from a constricted fine root complexion of the "mother" tree.

Photo 3. Mycelium of L. amethystina attached to and superficially decomposing leaves and taking up nutrients from them to "feed" to the fine roots it is connected to.

Photo 4. Ectomycorrhizae of L. amethystina on the fine roots of the "mother" tree, which are only present in the top two oxygen and moisture rich centimetres of the leave litter, where the seeds germinate.

Photo 5. Magnification (20 x) of the smooth compact ectomycorrhizal sheet surrounding the fine roots. From these sheets, hyphae of 2 µm in diameter stretch out into the soil to uptake water and nutrients from the soil food web and transport it to the roots.

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[Fungus]

Fruiting of L. amethystina in the dripping zone of the outer crown projection from the fine roots of two neighbouring beeches, that drop most of their seeds in this area.

 

Drizzle rain and fog droplets are transported to the dripping zone by leaves shaped to hold water and slowly drip it from the sharp point at the top of the leave (see photo).

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