Very little is known about the impact of flooding and ground saturation on ectomycorrhizal fungi (EcM) and increasing flood events are expected with predicted climate change. To explore this, seedlings inoculated with the EcM species Tuber aestivum were exposed to a range of flood durations. Oak seedlings inoculated with T. aestivum were submerged for between 7 and 65 days. After a minimum of 114-day recovery, seedling growth measurements were recorded, and root systems were destructively sampled to measure the number of existing mycorrhizae in different zones. Number of mycorrhizae did not display correlation with seedling growth measurements. Seven days of submersion resulted in a significant reduction in mycorrhizae numbers and numbers reduced most drastically in the upper zones. Increases in duration of submersion further impacted mycorrhizae numbers in the lowest soil zone only. T. aestivum mycorrhizae can survive flood durations of at least 65 days. After flooding, mycorrhizae occur in higher numbers in the lowest soil zone, suggesting a mix of resilience and recovery. The results will aid in furthering our understanding of EcM but also may aid in conservation initiatives as well as providing insight for those whose livelihoods revolve around the collection of EcM fruiting bodies or cropping of the plant partners.

关于洪水和地面饱和度对外生菌根真菌（EcM）的影响知之甚少，随着可预测的气候变化，预计洪水事件将增加。为了探讨这一点，与ECM物种接种的幼苗块茎小麦暴露于范围洪水持续时间。接种小麦的橡树幼苗被淹没了7至65天。恢复最少114天后，记录幼苗生长测量，并对根系进行破坏性采样，以测量不同区域中现有菌根的数量。菌根数与幼苗生长测量值没有显示相关性。淹没7天后，菌根数量显着减少，而上部区域的菌根数量则大大减少。浸水持续时间的增加仅在最低土壤区域进一步影响了菌根数。小麦菌根可以在至少65天的洪水持续时间内生存。淹没后，菌根在最低土壤区域的数量更多，这表明复原力和恢复力混合在一起。结果将有助于加深我们对EcM的了解，但也可能有助于开展保护计划，并为那些以生计为生的EcM子实体的收集或植物伴侣的种植为生的人们提供见识。