Percentage distribution of plant-fixed carbon in orchid shoots and roots, protocorms, and mycorrhizal fungal mycelium and amount (total and concentration) of carbon transferred to protocorms and mycorrhizal fungal mycelium by green orchids in each experimental microcosm
Data files
May 02, 2024 version files 16.23 KB
Abstract
The minute 'dust seeds' of some terrestrial orchids preferentially germinate and develop as mycoheterotrophic protocorms near conspecific adult plants. In this paper we tested the hypothesis that mycorrhizal mycelial connections provide a direct pathway for transfer of recent photosynthate from conspecific green orchids to achlorophyllous protocorms. Mycelial networks of Ceratobasidium cornigerum connecting green Dactylorhiza fuchsii plants with developing achlorophyllous protocorms of the same species were established on oatmeal or water agar before the shoots of green plants were exposed to 14CO2. After incubation for 48 hours, the pattern of distribution of fixed carbon was visualised in intact entire autotrophic/protocorm systems using digital autoradiography and quantified in protocorms by liquid scintillation counting. The data presented here represent the percentage distribution of the 14C fixed by the orchids in our experimental systems to plant shoots, roots, protocorms and the mycorrhizal mycelium. We also show the total amount of 14C present in plant shoots and protocorms when grown in each of the three media tested (100% water agar, 100% oatmeal agar, and 50:50 water: oatmeal agar). We also show the amount of carbon (total and concentration) transferred from green orchids to protocorms and mycorrhizal mycelium in each microcosm across the three media treatments.
README: Percentage distribution of plant-fixed carbon in orchid shoots and roots, protocorms, and mycorrhizal fungal mycelium
https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.g1jwstqzt
Data supporting figures 3 and 4 of the paper "Photosynthate transfer from an autotrophic orchid to conspecific heterotrophic protocorms through a common mycorrhizal network". File contains raw data for figure 3(a-c); the percentage distribution of the carbon fixed by the orchids in our experimental systems to the plant shoots, roots, protocorms and fungal mycelium in each of the three media types tested (water agar A-D; 50:50 agar F-K; Oatmeal agar M-P). Also included are data supporting figure 3(d); total 14C (ng) in shoots and protocorms in each system. Data for Figure 4 depict the total (ng) and concentration (ng/g) of carbon transferred from the green orchid to protocorms and mycorrhizal fungus in each of the experimental systems across the three media types tested.
Description of the data and file structure
Data for 3(a-c) are arranged in tables with headings describing the type of sample (i.e. shoot, root, protocorm, fungus). Individual values represent % for each system. Data for 3(d) is presented as total mass (ng) of 14C in shoots ("Shoot 14C") and protocorms ("Protocrom 14C"), arranged as individual values for each replicate system for each of the three media types tested (Water, 50:50, Oatmeal). Data for Figure 4 are presented as a single table showing media type (water, 50:50, oatmeal), sample type (fungus, protocorm), unit (ng, ng/g) and C.
Code/Software
Data collated in Microsoft Excel.