The role of DSE (Dark Septate Endophytes) in plant communities in forest ecosystem

10 Abstract All plants live in symbiosis with fungal endophytes - they can form mutualistic, commensal or parasitic symbioses. Symbiosis of root endophytes, called for their darkly pigmented and septated hyphae dark septate endophytes (DSE), and plants has been often overlooked although its role for plant communities can be very important. Despite their ubiquitous presence in roots of terrestrial and also aquatic plants the influence of DSE on their host plants is still unresolved. Results of previous studies are inconsistent - some reported that DSE have positive effects on their host plant growth and some negative. The main reason for this inconsistency might be their complicated taxonomy and difficult identification of different cryptic species which are morphologically indistinguishable. We were able to complete a unique collection of the most common DSE species, mainly members of the Phialocephala fortinii - Acephala applanata species complex. The collection includes the most common DSE species isolated from roots of forest plant communities. The goal of my thesis was to describe behaviour of DSE in roots of typical forest plants and elucidate their physiological influence on host plants. In vitro resynthesis experiments were used to observe root colonization patterns. Nutrient flow between the plant..