Mark Brundrett on Biodiversity: It’s all in the Dirt

South Western Australia has some of the most nutrient poor soils in the world and a prolonged summer drought. Despite this the area contains a world-renowned diversity of flowering plants at local and regional scales. How is this possible?

The answer is underpinned or perhaps driven by a great diversity of strategies to obtain these nutrients. Our wildflowers use highly specialised roots, which may release acids to mobilize nutrients, or have a very diverse array of bacterial and fungal helpers in their roots, all hidden from our view. The large fruiting bodies of fungi we notice are a small part of our fungal diversity, most of whom spend all their lives in the soil.

Hence, ‘Biodiversity it’s all in the Dirt’ is the subject of the Wildflower Society’s 9th May 2017 talk by botanist Mark Brundrett from the Department of Parks and Wildlife. Mark is a world expert on plant/fungi interactions, publishing numerous international papers on this subject, but also running a detailed web site on fungi in roots and using this knowledge in the conservation and rehabilitation of native Orchids (including authoring a detailed field guide to WA Orchids) and banksia woodlands. Find the web site at mycorrhizas.info/info.html (Brundrett 2008 Mycorrhizal Associations).

Meetings of the Perth Branch of the Society are held on the second Tuesday of each month in the Subiaco Community Centre across the road from Crossways Shopping centre in Bagot Road. Doors open at 7.45pm and the meeting begins at 8pm. Supper is served after the talk and everyone is eligible for the night’s door prize. You do not need to be a member of the Society to attend Perth Branch meetings, entry requiring a $2 door donation.

Photos:  M Brundrett  L:  Marri  R:  Marri root with associated fungi