Diversity and functional plasticity of root-associated fungi of Pinus massoniana in bauxite mine restoration areas.

Twenty-five culturable root-associated fungi, including classical ectomycorrhizal taxa and non-traditional fungi, were identified in Pinus massoniana from bauxite mine restoration areas.

• Why it matters: Understanding fungal diversity and functional roles in stressed, degraded environments is crucial for improving ecological restoration strategies and plant establishment in mining sites.
• What they did: The study isolated fungi from root tips and sporocarps, identified them via ITS sequencing, and evaluated their symbiotic capacity through seedling inoculation experiments, revealing ecological plasticity.
• The result: Some fungi demonstrated multiple interaction modes, indicating ecological plasticity that may support host adaptation, and stress-tolerant fungi identified could be useful for restoring degraded mining ecosystems.