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

合作研究：有益真菌传播的决定因素及其与非本地松树入侵的关系

• 批准号: 0949175
• 负责人: Thomas Horton
• 金额: $ 24.2万
• 依托单位: SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-03-15 至 2015-02-28
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0949175&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Determinants; spread; beneficial

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.

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，增加对自然系统动力学的理解。真菌是入侵物种中最不为人所知的一类，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，这里种植了130多种外来树种，其中包括许多在其他地方具有高度入侵性的树种。令人惊讶的是，这些物种中很少有在这个岛上广泛分布的。先前的研究表明，缺乏菌根真菌（对植物生存至关重要的根共生体）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共生关系，植物和真菌是独立分布的，因此植物可能不会“找到”共生真菌。这个项目将阐明真菌的扩散如何帮助入侵树木的传播。以真菌为食的引进物种，如欧洲野猪和鹿，可能会在它们的粪便中传播真菌，在外来物种之间产生反馈，增加入侵树木的影响。真菌也可以在地下传播，从而促进引进树木的形成。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（入侵植物中最具侵略性的一种）随后的入侵。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减少这些环境和经济成本，我们必须了解调节入侵的因素：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。