Dissertation Research: Symbiosis and the Spatial Spread of Clonal Plant Populations

0073255粘土泛共生体是不同物种的有机体之间的亲密伙伴关系，其中一个伙伴经常生活在另一个伙伴中。共生是所有物种相互作用中最普遍的一种，也是最不为人所知的一种。从共生种群动态的变化可能会导致其他物种的相互作用和社区结构的级联效应。为了更好地了解种群动态如何受到共生的影响，拟议的研究将集中在共生微生物，Epichelloglyciae，如何改变其宿主草，Glyceria striata的克隆生长特征。共生对克隆生长模式、宿主克隆内的资源运输以及自然种群中受感染与未受感染植物的空间格局的影响将被研究。共生在自然和管理系统中都很重要，因为积极和消极的共生都广泛存在于所有群落中。了解真菌共生对宿主植物生长形态的影响，对自然群落的多样性、农业系统的生产力和保护管理实践具有重要意义。对共生的广泛影响的认识也将为群落结构、物种之间的联系和生物多样性的重要性提供新的视角。

0073255Clay & PanSymbioses are intimate partnerships between organisms of different species, where one partner often lives within the other. Symbiosis is one of the most pervasive of all species interactions, yet one of the least understood. Changes in population dynamics from symbiosis may lead to cascading effects on other species interactions and community structure. In order to better understand how population dynamics are affected by symbiosis, the proposed research will focus on how a symbiotic microbe, Epichloe glyceriae, alters clonal growth characteristics of its host grass, Glyceria striata. The consequences of symbiosis on patterns of clonal growth, resource transport within host clones, and spatial pattern of infected vs uninfected plants in natural populations will be examined.Symbiosis is important in both natural and managed systems, as both positive and negative symbioses are widespread in all communities. Understanding the effects of fungal symbiosis on the grwoth form of host plants has important implications for the diversity of natural communities, productivity of agricultural systems, and management practices for conservation. Awareness of the extensive influences of symbiosis will also provide a new perspective on community structure, links between species, and the importance of biological diversity.