This is a public-interest archive. Personal data is pseudonymized and retained under GDPR Article 89.

Re: Re Mycorrhizal Fungi and Mycorrhiza

Lee, 25 years ago when I was doing field work in Papua New Guinea, I noted
that large areas of kina (a degraded grassland following on fire and
erosion) had been planted with Caribbean Pine.  These pines were
peculiar--they never branched and grew along the ground like great fuzzy
green caterpillars until they encountered an obstacle and could support
themselves briefly before collapsing on the ground again.  I was told (as I
remember) by an Australian forester that this weird growth habit was due to
the lack of the correct mycorrhizal symbiont.  I don't know if this is true
or not, but thought maybe you might have some knowledge of it.

Of course, they could have planted the local 2 species of Auracaria, which
would have grown much faster and produced comparable timber, but
international development authorities had assured the Papuans that the pines
were "better."  Hence much wasted effort and money.

Bill Shear
Department of Biology
Hampden-Sydney College
Hampden-Sydney VA 23943
(434)223-6172
FAX (434)223-6374
email<wshear@email.hsc.edu>
Moderating e-lists:
Coleus at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/coleus
Opiliones at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/opiliones
Myriapod at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/myriapod
MilliPEET website at
http://www.fmnh.org/research_collections/zoology/zoo_sites/millipeet/home.ht
ml
SHAPE OF LIFE website at
http://www.pbs.org/kcet/shapeoflife/episodes/conq_explo1.html

"It is only when we forget all our learning that we begin to know.  I do not
get nearer by a hair's breadth to any natural object so long as I presume
that I have an introduction to it from some learned man.  To concieve of it
with total apprehension I must for the thousandth time approach it as
something totally strange.  If you would make acquaintance with the ferns
you must forget your botany."
Henry David Thoreau, Journals, Oct. 4, 1859.

==========================================================
Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Get the latest weather,
sports, and lifestyle news you can't afford to miss, all
at a price you can afford to pay!  Click now!
http://click.topica.com/caaacQXbUrGSSbVSZwBf/TopOffers
==========================================================

GWL has searchable archives at: 
http://www.hort.net/lists/gardenwriters/
If you have photos for GWL, send them to gwlphotos@hort.net and they will show up at  http://www.hort.net/lists/gwlphotos/ 
**************************************************

==^================================================================
This email was sent to: topica.com@spamfodder.com

EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?bUrGSS.bVSZwB
Or send an email to: Gardenwriters-unsubscribe@topica.com

T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail!
http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register
==^================================================================
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index