DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Does genetic similarity of trees explain beta diversity of soil microbes and the strength of negative plant-soil feedbacks in a tropical tree population?

热带森林中的成年树木会阻止它们的后代在附近发芽。这种亲子互动可以解释热带森林中物种多样性高的原因。将研究这种负面相互作用的遗传基础。 将评估成熟树木、幼苗以及土壤中细菌和真菌的遗传多样性。 病原体抗性基因影响繁殖和保持多样性的机制将被检查。 这些信息将有助于保护和热带重新造林的努力。 该项目将通过培训一名遗传技术研究生来加强科学工作队伍，这项研究将是第一批将遗传机制纳入热带森林幼苗存活和多样性维持的经典Janzen-Connell假说的研究之一。 新的证据表明，热带树木及其病原体之间的植物-土壤负反馈是基因型特异性的（即，一个种群中的树木对相同的土壤微生物组的反应不同）。 热带树木群落中的植物-土壤反馈是否受遗传控制，将由树-苗遗传相似性、树-树遗传相似性和微生物群落-树群落遗传相似性来确定。 遗传学分析将补充关于病原体抗性基因影响种群动态的条件的实验。 相似程度将阐明相互作用有效的生物和空间尺度。 遗传和宏基因组学技术和生物信息学的培训将为学生提供研究经验。

Adult trees in tropical forests prevent their offspring from sprouting nearby. This parent-offspring interaction can explain high species diversity in tropical forests. The genetic foundation for this negative interaction will be investigated. The genetic diversity of mature trees, seedlings, and bacteria and fungi in the soil will be assessed. The mechanisms by which pathogen-resistant genes influence reproduction and maintain diversity will be examined. Efforts in conservation and in tropical reforestation will be aided by this information. The project will strengthen the scientific workforce by training a graduate student in genetic techniques.This study will be among the first to incorporate a genetic mechanism into the classical Janzen-Connell hypothesis of seedling survival and diversity maintenance in tropical forests. New evidence has shown that negative plant-soil feedbacks between tropical trees and their pathogens are genotype-specific (i.e., trees within a population respond differently to the same soil microbiome). Whether plant-soil feedbacks in tropical tree communities are genetically controlled will be determined for tree-seedling genetic similarity, for tree-tree genetic similarity, and for microbial community - tree community genetic similarity. Analyses of the genetics will complement experiments on the conditions in which pathogen-resistant genes affect population dynamics. The degree of similarities will elucidate the biological and spatial scales at which the interactions are effective. Training in genetic and metagenomics techniques and bioinformatics will provide research experience for the student.