biology

Funneliformis mosseae

Funneliformis mosseae is a biology topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Funneliformis mosseae rather than just read about it. In short: Funneliformis mosseae is a species of fungus in the family Glomeraceae, which is an arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi that forms symbiotic relationships with plant roots. Funneliformis mosseae has a wide distribution worldwide, and can be found in North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia.

Key takeaways

Funneliformis mosseae belongs to biology; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Funneliformis mosseae to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Funneliformis mosseae from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Funneliformis mosseae is a species of fungus in the family Glomeraceae, which is an arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi that forms symbiotic relationships with plant roots. Funneliformis mosseae has a wide distribution worldwide, and can be found in North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. Funneliformis are characterized by having an easily visible septum in the area of the spore base and are often cylindrical or funnel-shaped. Funneliformis mosseae similarly resembles Glomus caledonium, however the spore wall of Funneliformis mosseae contains three layers, whereas Gl. caledonium spore walls are composed of four layers. Funneliformis is an easily cultivated species which multiplies well in trap culture, along with its high distribution, F. mosseae is not considered endangered and is often used for experimental purposes when combined with another host.

Morphology The morphology of Funneliformis mosseae can be varied depending on location and generation.

Spore structure The spores of Funneliformis mosseae are yellow to golden yellow in color and are globose or subglobose (80-)185(−280) μm diameter, with one subtending hypha. The spore wall is made up of three layers all with distinct phenotypes. The first layer is hyaline and mucilogenous and is approximately 1.4–2.5 μm thick (mean = 2.1 μm). This layer is found in the juvenile spores of F. mosseae, and degrades as the spore matures and goes through sloughing, producing a granular appearance. The second layer of the spore wall is also hyaline and is a thickness of 0.8–1.6 μm thick (mean = 1.2 μm). This layer is often observed as sliver-like or partially decomposed fragments as it separates from the third layer of the spore wall. The second layer is variable in appearance between various spores, but must be firmly attached to the laminae as it forms small pits and irregular shape which causes parts of the layer to break away when under pressure. The third layer is a pale yellow to yellow brown, laminate, and is 3.2–6.4 μm thick (mean of 4.7 μm).

Subtending hyphae The Funneliformis mosseae species has a subtending hypha, a characteristic of AM fungi, which is the hyphae that the spores are produced from. The hyphae structure tends to be flask shaped and a yellow to yellow brown in color. In juvenile spores, the walls of the subtending hyphae are made up of three layers that are continuous with the layers of the spore walls. As the spores mature, oftentimes the hyphal wall will become one to two layers thick.

Germination The germ tube in Funneliformis mosseae emerges from the spore wall and originates from the recurved septum. After the hypha emerges, extensive branching and growth of the germ tubes is able to occur.

Distribution, habitat, season Funneliformis mosseae is a hypogenous fungi, that is commonly found in loose aggregate soils. It has been found in a wide range of locations, and can be collected throughout the year, in all seasons. It is widespread in the Pacific Northwest, Midwest, Hawaii, England, Scotland, Germany, Australia, New Zealand and Pakistan. F. mosseae can withstand conditions ranging from coastal dune sands, mountain forests, and semi-arid zones; especially in alkaline flats, road banks, fields and forest clearings.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal interactions

Funneliformis mosseae is a fungus that falls into the category of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), which are fungi that form symbiotic relationships with most terrestrial plants. The relationship is mutualistic, meaning that both the plant and fungi have benefits in forming these interactions with one another. Arbuscules are the site of entrance into the cells for the fungi, and a large hyphal network is formed, which allows for nutrient exchanges between the plant and fungi. Plants can often benefit greatly from these mutualistic interactions with certain fungi, such as increased nutrient absorption, resistance to varying environmental conditions, and resistance to some plant pathogens.

Uses One of the common uses of Funneliformis mosseae is in scientific research to study the ways in which AM fungi interact with their plant hosts. Many of these studies aim to determine the ways in which AM fungus relationships to plants can alter the conditions of the environment for growth. In previous studies using Funneliformis mosseae have shown to increase resistance to plant pathogens, increased resistance to heavy metal toxicity, increase resistance to drought and poor soil conditions, increased nutrient absorption, and has shown to increase root and shoot biomass in inoculated plants.

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Funneliformis mosseae

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Funneliformis mosseae claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In biology, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Funneliformis mosseae before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Funneliformis mosseae ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Funneliformis mosseae

In research: Funneliformis mosseae appears in biology research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Funneliformis mosseae in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Funneliformis mosseae is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Fungi of Australia, Fungi of Europe, Fungi of Hawaii, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Funneliformis mosseae outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Funneliformis mosseae in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Funneliformis mosseae means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Funneliformis mosseae out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Funneliformis mosseae in simple terms?

Why does Funneliformis mosseae matter?

Because it connects several biology ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Funneliformis mosseae?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Funneliformis mosseae.