The Role of Mycorrhizae in Invasive Plants Ecology

Mycorrhizae are symbiotic fungi that live on plant roots and essential for plant communities and ecosystems stability. Mycorrhizal networks are often used by invasive species, which drastically disrupt ecosystems by surpassing native flora, reducing biodiversity and altering ecological processes, to facilitate their establishment. Mycorrhizal associations, enhance nutrient uptake, improve resilience to drought and disease. The complex interaction between mycorrhizae with native, environments and invasive plants are examined in this chapter. The impacts of invasive plants cover biodiversity loss and influence ecosystem functions. Understanding the molecular, ecological, and environmental factors driving invasions is essential to comprehending invasive species persistence and the effects they have on native ecosystems. Strategies should emphasis on restoring native plant communities and monitoring invasive species. The restoring mycorrhizal networks, mitigating soil disruptions, and enhancing the resilience of native plants to combat the ecological challenges posed by invasions.