Collaborative Research: Determinants of the spread of beneficial fungi and their relation to invasion by non-native pine trees

生物入侵造成了巨大的环境和社会问题，造成了巨大的经济成本，并威胁到生物多样性。研究入侵有助于环境管理，并增加对自然系统动力学的理解。真菌是最不为人所知的入侵物种之一，尽管它是生物多样性的重要组成部分，具有巨大的生态意义。真菌对植物入侵的控制将在阿根廷的一个岛屿上进行研究，一个世纪前，那里种植了130多种外来树木，其中包括许多在其他地方高度入侵的树木。令人惊讶的是，这些物种中几乎没有几个在这个岛上广为流传。先前的研究表明，缺乏菌根真菌(对植物生存至关重要的根部共生体)限制了入侵植物物种在该地区的传播。这些真菌只与少数几种植物形成互惠共生关系，而且这些植物和真菌是独立分布的，因此植物可能找不到互惠共生的真菌。这个项目将阐明真菌传播如何帮助入侵树木的传播。引进的以真菌为食的物种，如欧洲野猪和鹿，可能会在它们的粪便中分散真菌，在外来物种之间产生反馈，并增加入侵树木的影响。真菌还可以在地下传播，从而促进引种树木的建立。这个项目将展示哺乳动物、风和地下生长如何影响真菌的传播和外来针叶树随后的入侵，针叶树是最具侵略性的入侵植物之一。21世纪可能会带来生物多样性的巨大损失。入侵物种是主要因素，也造成了巨大的经济损失。为了有效地管理生物入侵以最大限度地减少这些环境和经济成本，我们必须了解控制入侵的因素：这是本研究的目标。此外，这将有助于我们了解真菌生物学及其对植物生态学的影响，从而推动生态科学的发展。

Biological invasions create enormous environmental and social problems, impose a huge economic cost, and threaten biodiversity. Studying invasions aids environmental management and increases understanding of natural system dynamics. Fungi are one of the least understood groups of invasive species, despite being an essential component of biodiversity and having tremendous ecological significance. Fungal control of plant invasion will be studied on an island in Argentina where a century ago more than 130 exotic trees species were planted, including many that are highly invasive elsewhere. Surprisingly few of these species have become widespread on this island. Previous research shows that lack of mycorrhizal fungi (root symbionts that are key to plant survival) limits spread of invasive plant species in the area. These fungi form mutualisms with only a few plant species, and the plants and the fungi are dispersed independently, so the plants may not 'find' mutualistic fungi. This project will elucidate how fungal dispersal aids spread of invasive trees. Introduced species that eat fungi, such as European boar and deer, may disperse fungi in their feces, generating a feedback between the exotics and increasing the impacts of the invading trees. Fungi can also spread belowground and thus promote establishment of the introduced trees. This project will show how mammals, wind, and belowground growth influence fungal spread and subsequent invasion by exotic conifers, one of the most aggressive groups of invasive plants. The 21st century may bring a great loss of biodiversity. Invasive species are a leading factor, also producing huge economic losses. To manage biological invasions effectively to minimize these environmental and economic costs, we must understand the factors regulating invasions: this is the goal of this study. In addition, this will contribute to our understanding of fungal biology and its influence on plant ecology, which will advance the ecological sciences.