Process based modelling of plants-fungus interactions explains fairy ring types and dynamics.

ABSTRACT: Many mushroom-forming fungi can develop circular colonies affecting the vegetation in a phenomenon named fairy rings. Since the nineteenth century, several hypotheses have been proposed to explain how fairy ring fungi form ring-like shapes instead of disks and why they produce negative or positive effects on the surrounding vegetation. In this context, we present a novel process-based mathematical model aimed at reproducing the mycelial spatial configuration of fairy rings and test different literature-supported hypotheses explaining the suppressive and stimulating effects of fungi on plants. Simulations successfully reproduced the shape of fairy rings through the accumulation of fungal self-inhibitory compounds. Moreover, regarding the negative effects of fungi on vegetation, results sugg

SUBMITTER: Salvatori N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10646123 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature