DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Fungal endophytes and tree genetics: uncovering hidden fungal diversity and estimation of biomass allocation to fungal symbionts

在地球上估计有150万种真菌物种中，只有大约7.4万种得到了正式描述。目前对所描述的大多数真菌物种的生物学知识很少。对全球真菌多样性的估计往往取决于被认为与个别植物物种有关的独特真菌物种的数量。然而，如果与植物共生的真菌对植物物种内个体之间的遗传差异很敏感，那么可能会有更多隐藏的真菌多样性。因此，重要的是要加大调查力度，并检查真菌群落在遗传不同的个体植物中存在差异的可能性。本研究采用同一环境中种植同一个体的多个无性系的实验林，研究窄叶棉白杨内遗传不同个体间真菌群落的变异。该项目将在两个主要方面对先前的发现进行补充。首先，它比较了使用培养技术的真菌多样性估计与基于真菌DNA直接检查的多样性估计。其次，这项研究将通过测量真菌类固醇麦角甾醇来估计单个植物中真菌组织的数量。广泛的影响：有几种方法可以确保这项研究产生更广泛的影响。首先，它将在2011年的弗拉格斯塔夫科学节(FFS)上展示。FFS是一个为期10天的活动，向所有年龄段的人推广科学。参与者将使用显微镜观看内生真菌培养物，并处理当地从各种真菌中收集的孢子果。其次，这项研究的结果将通过棉木生态组织的《土地管理者研究笔记》期刊传播给区域组织。这本出版物分发给了近20个团体，包括政府机构、非营利性土地保护团体和环境教育中心。第三，这项研究还将促进本科生实验室志愿者在培养和分子方法方面的培训。第四，结果将在区域和国家会议上提交给科学界，并在同行评议的期刊上发表。

Of the estimated 1.5 million fungal species on earth, only about 74,000 species have been formally described. Current knowledge of the biology of most of the described fungal species is poor. Estimates of global fungal diversity often hinge on the number of unique fungal species thought to be associated with individual plant species. However, if fungi that live in association with plants are sensitive to genetic differences among individuals within plant species, then there may be much more hidden fungal diversity. It is therefore important to increase survey efforts, and to examine the potential for fungal communities to differ among genetically different individual plants. This study focuses on variation in fungal communities among genetically different individuals within narrowleaf cottonwoods using an experimental forest in which multiple clones of an individual are planted in the same environment. This project will add to previous findings in two major ways. First, it compares the diversity estimates of fungi using culturing techniques with diversity estimates based on direct examination of fungal DNA. Second, the study will estimate the amount of fungal tissue in individual plants by measuring the fungal steroid, ergosterol.Broader Impacts: There are several ways in which a broader impact will be ensured for this research. First, it will be presented at the Flagstaff Festival of Science (FFS) 2011. The FFS is a 10-day event that promotes science to people of all ages. Participants will view endophytic fungal cultures using microscopy and handle locally collected sporocarps from a variety of fungi. Second, findings from this research will be disseminated to regional groups through the cottonwood ecology group's Research Notes for Land Managers periodical. This publication is distributed to nearly 20 groups, including government agencies, non-profit land conservation groups, and environmental education centers. Third, this research will also facilitate the training of undergraduate lab volunteers in culturing and molecular methods. Fourth, results will be presented to the scientific community at regional and national meetings, and published in peer-reviewed journals.