Substantial amounts of nutrients are lost from soils via
leaching and as gaseous emissions. These losses can be
environmentally damaging and expensive in terms of
lost agricultural production. Plants have evolved many
traits to optimize nutrient acquisition, including the
formation of arbuscular mycorrhizas (AM), associations
of plant roots with fungi that acquire soil nutrients.
There is emerging evidence that AM have the ability
to reduce nutrient loss from soils by enlarging the nutrient
interception zone and preventing nutrient loss after
rain-induced leaching events. Until recently, this important
ecosystem service of AM had been largely overlooked.
Here we review the role of AM in reducing
nutrient loss and conclude that this role cannot be
ignored if we are to increase global food production in
an environmentally sustainable manner