Study

Ectomycorrhizal fungi promote growth of Shorea balangeran in degraded peat swamp forests

  • Published source details Turjaman M., Santoso E., Susanto A., Gaman S., Limin S.H., Tamai Y., Osaki M. & Tawaraya K. (2011) Ectomycorrhizal fungi promote growth of Shorea balangeran in degraded peat swamp forests. Wetlands Ecology and Management, 19, 331-339.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Add root-associated fungi to plants (before planting)

Action Link
Peatland Conservation

Directly plant peatland trees/shrubs

Action Link
Peatland Conservation
  1. Add root-associated fungi to plants (before planting)

    A controlled study in 2002–2006 in a logged peat swamp in Kalimantan, Indonesia (Turjaman et al. 2011) found that inoculating red balau Shorea balangeran seedlings with root fungi increased growth (for three of three fungal species) but did not affect survival (for two of three fungal species). Forty months after planting, inoculated seedlings were taller than uninoculated seedlings (213–240 cm vs 206 cm) and had wider stems (diameter 30–37 cm vs 27 cm). Only seedlings inoculated with Strobilomyces sp. fungi had higher survival (85%) than uninoculated seedlings (83%). Survival of seedlings inoculated with two other fugal species was 79–81%. In November 2002, 400 red balau seedlings were planted into logged forest: 100 inoculated with each fungal species and 100 uninoculated. Seedlings had been grown in sterilized peat in a nursery and inoculated with wild-collected spores suspended in water. Seedling height, stem diameter and survival were measured 40 months after planting.

    (Summarised by: Nigel Taylor)

  2. Directly plant peatland trees/shrubs

    A study in 2002–2006 in a logged peat swamp in Kalimantan, Indonesia (Turjaman et al. 2011) reported that 83% of planted red balau Shorea balangeran seedlings survived over 40 months. On average, these were 206 cm tall and had 27 cm diameter stems. Additional seedlings inoculated with root fungi had higher growth rates than the uninoculated seedlings with three of three fungal species (213–240 cm tall; 30–37 cm diameter), but higher survival (85%) in only one of three cases. In November 2002, 100 red balau seedlings were planted (1 m apart) into logged forest. Seedlings had been grown in sterilized peat in a nursery. One hundred seedlings inoculated with each of three fungal species were also planted for comparison. Seedling height, stem diameter and survival were measured 40 months after planting.

    (Summarised by: Nigel Taylor)

Output references
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