Carbon cycling by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in soil-plant systems

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) play an important role in regulating carbon fluxes between the biosphere and the atmosphere. A recent study showed that live hyphae can turn over rapidly, in five to six days on average, suggesting that carbon flow to AMF hyphae might be respired back to the atmosphere quickly. However, that study gives a limited view of the residence time of AMF hyphae in soils. AMF hyphae can also contribute to soil carbon storage through other mechanisms.