Whose discovery linked mycorrhizae to plant roots and nutrient exchange?

Albert Bernhard Frank, a German botanist, described the close relationship between fungal filaments and plant roots in the late 19th century. In 1885 he coined the term mycorrhiza, meaning fungal root. This was a major breakthrough because it showed that fungi are not always harmful to plants; often they help plants absorb water and minerals such as phosphorus. Mycorrhizal partnerships are now known to be among the most important interactions in terrestrial ecosystems.