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

论文研究：真菌内生菌和树木遗传学：揭示隐藏的真菌多样性和估计真菌共生体的生物量分配

• 批准号: 1110728
• 负责人: Catherine Gehring
• 金额: $ 1.43万
• 依托单位: Northern Arizona University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-05-01 至 2014-04-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1110728&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: DISSERTATION; RESEARCH; Fungal; endophytes; tree

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.

地球上估计有 150 万种真菌，其中只有约 74,000 种得到正式描述。 目前对大多数所描述的真菌物种的生物学知识还很缺乏。全球真菌多样性的估计通常取决于被认为与单个植物物种相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敏感，那么可能存在更多隐藏的真菌多样性。因此，重要的是加大调查力度，并检查真菌群落在遗传不同的个体植物之间存在差异的可能性。这项研究的重点是使用实验森林，在同一环境中种植个体的多个克隆，研究窄叶杨内遗传不同个体之间真菌群落的变化。该项目将从两个主要方面补充之前的发现。 首先，它将使用培养技术对真菌的多样性估计与基于直接检查真菌 DNA 的多样性估计进行比较。 其次，该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。 更广泛的影响：有多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 年弗拉格斯塔夫科学节 (FFS) 上展示。FFS 是一项为期 10 天的活动，旨在向各个年龄段的人们宣传科学。参与者将使用显微镜观察内生真菌培养物，并处理当地收集的各种真菌的子实体。其次，这项研究的结果将通过白杨生态小组的《土地管理者研究笔记》期刊传播给区域小组。该出版物分发给近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，研究结果将在区域和国家会议上提交给科学界，并在同行评审期刊上发表。