Mutualisms in forests, grasslands and moors

In his book "Symbiosen in unseren Wiesen, Wäldern und Mooren", Andreas Gigon describes 60 types of positive interactions in eight Central European ecosystems. In most of them, dozens to hundreds of individual positive interactions between plant, animal, fungal, and bacterial species can be found. More than 400 photos, figures and tables as well as forty-five tips help the reader to identify and study such relationships in meadows and forests when going for a walk.

Examples of mutualisms and other positive relationships

Networks of microscopic fungal hyphae live in the forest soil, collect nutrients and conduct them to the tree roots. In return, the roots release carbohydrates from photosynthesis to the fungi. This type of symbiosis is relatively well known. However, more unusual relationships like flowers serving as nocturnal lodging for insects, ant guards for butterfly caterpillars, nurse plants, and insect taxis are described in Gigon's comprehensive and well-illustrated book.

The importance of mutualisms for humans

Approximately 90 percent of the plant species in a typical Central European deciduous forest and in many other terrestrial ecosystems are dependent on root fungi (mycorrhiza) for growing well. Furthermore, 50 to 70 percent of the forest plants depend on pollination by insects. In global terms, our food production, the timber industry, the production of medicinal herbs and many other vital economic processes depend directly or indirectly on mutualistic symbioses and other positive interactions.