Characterisation of fungal communities and functions in agricultural soils

One of the main drivers for the recent interest in utilising fungi has been the development of molecular technologies which allow us to investigate fungal communities in detail. We have made significant steps forward in understanding numbers and functions of fungal communities in soil. If we are to make progress in harnessing fungal communities for improving the sustainability of our production systems, we need to improve our ability to accurately monitor species composition, abundance and interactions, and to increase our understanding of functional traits. This chapter presents recent advances in the study of these ubiquitous and vital components of all terrestrial ecosystems.