The importance of mycorrhizal fungi in primary succession

Primary succession is a relatively long-term process of colonization of a certain area, which has never been influenced by any biotic environmental elements. There are many factors that influence primary succession. One of them are mycorrhizal fungi. Establishment of mycorrhizal symbiosis, i. e. a mutualistic relationship between plants and mycorrhizal fungi, can be an important factor facilitating development of vegetation cover. Plants profit from mycorrhizal symbiosis thanks to increased nutrient acquisition, protection against toxic heavy metals or an advantage in a competition with non-mycorrhizal plants. Being non-photosynthetic organisms, fungi gain assimilates from the plants. Modification of the course of primary succession by adding mycorrhizal fungi can have a big importance in reclamation of the areas damaged by mining and there is a potential to substitute, at least partly, technical reclamations