Global analysis of the soil and root fungal communities in the introduced pine species Pinus contorta
(2014) BIOP34 20132Degree Projects in Biology
- Abstract
- Popular science summary
The Role of Fungal Communities in the Lodgepole pine´s invasion
Summary
Belowground microbial interactions have an important effect on the performance of plant populations and the success of plant invasions. The introduced Lodgepole pine, for instance, can be presented with novel fungal mutualists in the introduced areas in comparison with their native ranges. These novel associations may improve the pine´s performance in the introduced ranges, and give them advantage over native populations in the introduced range. It has been observed that the root-associated fungal species composition vary between introduced Lodgepole pine populations and the native plants populations from the introduced ranges. More... (More) - Popular science summary
The Role of Fungal Communities in the Lodgepole pine´s invasion
Summary
Belowground microbial interactions have an important effect on the performance of plant populations and the success of plant invasions. The introduced Lodgepole pine, for instance, can be presented with novel fungal mutualists in the introduced areas in comparison with their native ranges. These novel associations may improve the pine´s performance in the introduced ranges, and give them advantage over native populations in the introduced range. It has been observed that the root-associated fungal species composition vary between introduced Lodgepole pine populations and the native plants populations from the introduced ranges. More distantly related plant hosts (Southern beech) harbored more distinct root fungal communities. Greenhouse or common-garden studies need to be done to test the influence of the mutualistic fungi on the Lodgepole pine growth and establishment, and to determine if these important symbiosis play a role in determining the invasive potential of Lodgepole Pine.
Background
Biological invasions are the most significant cause of biodiversity loss and have cost billions of dollars in remediation and control efforts. When a plant species is introduced into a new environment it usually out competes the native species for primary resources, becoming invasive. Yet, most of the alien colonizers never become invaders or never produce a significant impact on their native counterparts. It is believed that one of the driving forces influencing the success of plant invasions is below ground microbial interactions. The lack of natural enemies, such as root pathogens, may give the invaders an advantage in the new habitat allowing them to outcompete indigenous populations. Moreover, the loss of natural mutualistic fungi in a new range may be compensated for by novel associations with native nonspecific mutualists.
Lodgepole pine
The lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) is an introduced pine species from North America that has been introduced in the Northern and the Southern hemisphere due to its forestry value. In its new ranges it has been able to grow outside the plantations invading new ranges and compromising native flora. Previous studies have presented evidence that the lodgepole pine can colonize new habitats forming associations with mutualistic fungi. This may suggest that below ground fungal communities can have an effect on the performance of the introduced lodgepole pine populations. A genetic identification of the root associated fungal species was made to compare soil and root fungal communities from the lodgepole pine stands as well as from adjacent native trees (i.e. Southern beech in southern hemisphere ecosystems and Scot pine ecosystems in European forests).
Findings
Our results showed that the lodgepole pine fungal community composition from the native ranges is different from the fungal composition from the introduced areas. Moreover, the data suggest an effect of the provenance (variety) on the introduced lodgepole pine fungal species composition. When comparing fungal species composition from invasive lodgepole pines with native scots pines and southern beeches, all species harbored distinct fungal communities on their roots and the soil around their roots. The more distantly related southern beeches showed a more distinct fungal species composition in comparison with lodgepole pines than scots pines did. No known fungal pathogens were found in significant proportions but some dominant and abundant ectomycorrhizal fungi (mutualistic symbionts on plant roots) were found in the introduced ranges. This may suggest that new mutualistic association can compensate for the loss of the native mutualists.
These results provide evidence that upon introduction into a new environment the plant associated microbial species composition may be greatly affected. These variations may have an effect on the lodgepole pine performance in the introduced ranges. Therefore, the data generated in the present study are useful to test whether the variation in fungal composition affects the lodgepole pine growth and establishment in introduced ranges.
Advisor: Nicholas Rosenstock
Master´s Degree Project 60 credits in Molecular Ecology, 2014
Department of Biology, Lund University (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/4467350
- author
- Almeida, Juan Pablo
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- BIOP34 20132
- year
- 2014
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- language
- English
- id
- 4467350
- date added to LUP
- 2014-06-16 16:01:08
- date last changed
- 2014-06-16 16:01:08
@misc{4467350,
abstract = {{Popular science summary
The Role of Fungal Communities in the Lodgepole pine´s invasion
Summary
Belowground microbial interactions have an important effect on the performance of plant populations and the success of plant invasions. The introduced Lodgepole pine, for instance, can be presented with novel fungal mutualists in the introduced areas in comparison with their native ranges. These novel associations may improve the pine´s performance in the introduced ranges, and give them advantage over native populations in the introduced range. It has been observed that the root-associated fungal species composition vary between introduced Lodgepole pine populations and the native plants populations from the introduced ranges. More distantly related plant hosts (Southern beech) harbored more distinct root fungal communities. Greenhouse or common-garden studies need to be done to test the influence of the mutualistic fungi on the Lodgepole pine growth and establishment, and to determine if these important symbiosis play a role in determining the invasive potential of Lodgepole Pine.
Background
Biological invasions are the most significant cause of biodiversity loss and have cost billions of dollars in remediation and control efforts. When a plant species is introduced into a new environment it usually out competes the native species for primary resources, becoming invasive. Yet, most of the alien colonizers never become invaders or never produce a significant impact on their native counterparts. It is believed that one of the driving forces influencing the success of plant invasions is below ground microbial interactions. The lack of natural enemies, such as root pathogens, may give the invaders an advantage in the new habitat allowing them to outcompete indigenous populations. Moreover, the loss of natural mutualistic fungi in a new range may be compensated for by novel associations with native nonspecific mutualists.
Lodgepole pine
The lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) is an introduced pine species from North America that has been introduced in the Northern and the Southern hemisphere due to its forestry value. In its new ranges it has been able to grow outside the plantations invading new ranges and compromising native flora. Previous studies have presented evidence that the lodgepole pine can colonize new habitats forming associations with mutualistic fungi. This may suggest that below ground fungal communities can have an effect on the performance of the introduced lodgepole pine populations. A genetic identification of the root associated fungal species was made to compare soil and root fungal communities from the lodgepole pine stands as well as from adjacent native trees (i.e. Southern beech in southern hemisphere ecosystems and Scot pine ecosystems in European forests).
Findings
Our results showed that the lodgepole pine fungal community composition from the native ranges is different from the fungal composition from the introduced areas. Moreover, the data suggest an effect of the provenance (variety) on the introduced lodgepole pine fungal species composition. When comparing fungal species composition from invasive lodgepole pines with native scots pines and southern beeches, all species harbored distinct fungal communities on their roots and the soil around their roots. The more distantly related southern beeches showed a more distinct fungal species composition in comparison with lodgepole pines than scots pines did. No known fungal pathogens were found in significant proportions but some dominant and abundant ectomycorrhizal fungi (mutualistic symbionts on plant roots) were found in the introduced ranges. This may suggest that new mutualistic association can compensate for the loss of the native mutualists.
These results provide evidence that upon introduction into a new environment the plant associated microbial species composition may be greatly affected. These variations may have an effect on the lodgepole pine performance in the introduced ranges. Therefore, the data generated in the present study are useful to test whether the variation in fungal composition affects the lodgepole pine growth and establishment in introduced ranges.
Advisor: Nicholas Rosenstock
Master´s Degree Project 60 credits in Molecular Ecology, 2014
Department of Biology, Lund University}},
author = {{Almeida, Juan Pablo}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Global analysis of the soil and root fungal communities in the introduced pine species Pinus contorta}},
year = {{2014}},
}