丛枝菌根真菌可以与绝大多数陆生植物共生,它可以吸收铵态氮、硝态氮、一些氨基酸和一些复杂的有机氮素,吸收的氮素在根外菌丝中转化成精氨酸,并以这种形式运输到根内菌丝,在根内菌丝和根细胞界面,精氨酸再进一步转化为NH4^+后转移到宿主植物体,参与植物氮素代谢,而转移的氮量及对宿主植物氮营养的贡献与宿主植物、真菌以及基质养分和水分条件有关.
Most land plants form symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), AMF is shown to take up mineral nitrogen (ammonium and nitrate), some amino acids and other complex organic nitrogen from the soil. Nitrogen taken up by the fungus outside roots is incorporated into amino acids, and translocated from the extraradical mycelium to the intraradical mycelium as arginine. Ammonia is then released after the breakdown of arginine and translocated to plant roots. The contribution of AMF to plant N uptake are associated with plants, fungus, and other environmental factors such as water and nutrient conditions of the substrate.