Myco-heterotrophy
Myco-heterotrophy
Myco-heterotrophy (pronounced: my-co-het-er-ot-ro-phy) is a symbiotic relationship between certain kinds of plants and fungi, in which the plant gets all or part of its food from parasitism upon fungi rather than from photosynthesis.
Etymology
The term "myco-heterotrophy" is derived from the Greek words "mykes" meaning fungus, "heteros" meaning other, and "trophe" meaning nourishment.
Description
Myco-heterotrophic plants are often associated with mycorrhizal fungi, a type of fungus that forms a mutualistic relationship with the roots of a host plant. The plant provides the fungus with sugars and other organic substances, and in return, the fungus provides the plant with water and nutrients it has absorbed from the soil.
In the case of myco-heterotrophic plants, however, the relationship is not mutualistic but parasitic. The plant takes sugars and nutrients from the fungus but does not give anything back. This allows the plant to survive in environments where it would otherwise be unable to photosynthesize, such as deep in the forest understory where little light penetrates.
Related Terms
- Mycorrhiza: A symbiotic association between a fungus and the roots of a vascular host plant.
- Parasitism: A non-mutual symbiotic relationship between species, where one species, the parasite, benefits at the expense of the other, the host.
- Photosynthesis: The process used by plants, algae and certain bacteria to harness energy from sunlight and turn it into chemical energy.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Myco-heterotrophy
- Wikipedia's article - Myco-heterotrophy
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