Mycorrhizae, a term derived from the Greek for “fungus root,” are a symbiotic relationship between soil-dwelling fungi and the roots of a plant. In this partnership, the fungus obtains carbon from the plant while facilitating the uptake of inorganic nutrients from the soil. The fungal hyphae increase the volume of soil that can be explored by the plant’s roots, increasing nutrient and water uptake and enhancing growth. Ideally, the mycorrhizal symbiosis can cause the plant to become more vigorous and more tolerant of chronically low soil moisture, but the association between fungi and roots is easily disturbed. Mycorrhizae do not take well to disturbances, the use of pesticides, or excessive amounts of fertilizer. They are also highly specific with regard to the plants with which they associate. Under optimal conditions, mycorrhizae can augment growth (and by extension, reproductive capacity), enhance water uptake in low moisture soils, and increase absorption of inorganic nutrients. Mycorrhizae are extremely common in the plant world, with approximately 80% of higher plants having this symbiotic relationship. Some ferns, fern-allies, and liverworts also have mycorrhizae. For a more in-depth look at mycorrhizae, see http://helios.bto.ed.ac.uk/bto/microbes/mycorrh.htm