Article
Plant Sciences
Gang Wu, Shingo Miyauchi, Emmanuelle Morin, Alan Kuo, Elodie Drula, Torda Varga, Annegret Kohler, Bang Feng, Yang Cao, Anna Lipzen, Christopher Daum, Hope Hundley, Jasmyn Pangilinan, Jenifer Johnson, Kerrie Barry, Kurt LaButti, Vivian Ng, Steven Ahrendt, Byoungnam Min, In-Geol Choi, Hongjae Park, Jonathan M. Plett, Jon Magnuson, Joseph W. Spatafora, Laszlo G. Nagy, Bernard Henrissat, Igor V. Grigoriev, Zhu-Liang Yang, Jianping Xu, Francis M. Martin
Summary: This study compared the genomes of 21 ectomycorrhizal species within Boletales with their saprotrophic brown-rot relatives, revealing that symbiotic boletes have become functionally diverse over their evolutionary history with reduced plant cell-wall-degrading enzymes but distinct sets of enzymes. Additionally, the study showed that transposable element proliferation contributed to the higher evolutionary rate of certain genes, while the loss of secreted CAZymes was related to DNA decay rather than TE activity. These findings provide new insights into the mechanisms influencing the evolutionary diversification of symbiotic boletes.
Article
Forestry
N. Barsoum, Stuart W. A'Hara, Joan E. Cottrell, Jack Forster, Mateo San Jose Garcia, Karsten Schonrogge, Liz Shaw
Summary: Based on a study in southern England, it was found that there are differences in the composition and functional exploration types of ECM communities between AOD symptomatic and asymptomatic oak trees, which are related to soil physico-chemical effects but not directly linked to the frequency of fine root tips. The ECM diversity and composition were not affected by the tree symptom status but varied between different woodlands, possibly due to differences in soil chemistry variables.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Xiang-Fu Liu, Saowaluck Tibpromma, Jian-Chu Xu, Jaturong Kumla, Samantha Chandranath Karunarathna, Chang-Lin Zhao
Summary: This study highlights the previously understudied ectomycorrhizal basidiomycetes genus Thelephora in subtropical ecosystems, specifically proposing two new species based on a combination of morphological features and molecular evidence. The distinct characteristics and phylogenetic relationships of T. grandinioides and T. wuliangshanensis are determined through detailed analysis, contributing to the understanding of these important edible and medicinal fungi with economic value.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Shishir Basant, Bradford P. Wilcox, Chelsea Parada, Briana M. Wyatt, Brent D. Newman
Summary: Thicketization of woodlands and pastures in Texas has led to reduced groundwater recharge rates, which is a concern considering the importance of the Carrizo-Wilcox aquifer. This research evaluated the impact of thicketization on deep drainage in oak savannas using chloride mass balance and soil moisture monitoring. The results indicate that thicketization significantly reduces groundwater recharge and may have implications for water budgets and regional groundwater recharge rates.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Marko Kebert, Sasa Kostic, Srdan Stojnic, Eleonora Capelja, Andelina Gavranovic Markic, Martina Zoric, Lazar Kesic, Victor Flors
Summary: Mycorrhizal fungi play a significant role in mitigating the effects of drought stress on pedunculate oak by increasing the levels of protective substances and regulating plant hormone levels.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Monica Sebastiana, Susana Serrazina, Filipa Monteiro, Daniel Wipf, Jerome Fromentin, Rita Teixeira, Rui Malho, Pierre-Emmanuel Courty
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the nitrogen metabolic response of oak plants when inoculated with the ectomycorrhizal fungus Pisolithus tinctorius. The expression of candidate genes encoding proteins involved in nitrogen uptake and assimilation was investigated in ectomycorrhizal roots. The findings suggest that inorganic nitrogen is the main form of nitrogen transferred by the symbiotic fungus into the roots of the host plant.
Article
Plant Sciences
Chikae Tatsumi, Fujio Hyodo, Takeshi Taniguchi, Weiyu Shi, Keisuke Koba, Keitaro Fukushima, Sheng Du, Norikazu Yamanaka, Pamela Templer, Ryunosuke Tateno
Summary: The study found that the nitrogen uptake patterns of understory trees vary between different overstory trees, possibly due to differences in soil mycorrhizal community and nitrogen availability. Understory trees beneath non-ECM overstory trees primarily absorbed nitrogen as nitrate, while those beneath ECM overstory trees relied on mycorrhizal fungi for nitrogen acquisition. Leaf nitrogen concentrations were lower in understory trees beneath ECM compared to non-ECM overstory trees.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Elise C. Hotz, Alexander J. Bradshaw, Casey Elliott, Krista Carlson, Bryn T. M. Dentinger, Steven E. Naleway
Summary: Hyphae are filamentous branches that form the constitutive structure of mushroom-forming Fungi. By understanding the effects of external factors on hyphae, we can manipulate the physical properties of cultivated mycelial sheets. This study shows that altering the agar concentration can affect the physical growth and structure of the mycelial sheet without changing its permeability or chemical makeup.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY-JMR&T
(2023)
Article
Acoustics
Neil Phillips, Samuel W. Remedios, Anna Nikolaidou, Zlatko Baracskai, Andrew Adamatzky
Summary: Many fungi do not emit sounds during dehydration, suggesting that they may interact through non-sound means.
Article
Forestry
Teresa Mexia, Xavier Lecomte, Maria Conceicao Caldeira, Miguel Nuno Bugalho
Summary: Forest certification is a conservation tool aimed at promoting sustainable management of forest ecosystems. In Mediterranean oak woodlands, the establishment of conservation zones significantly impacts tree biometrics, regeneration, and the diversity of shrub and herb understory vegetation.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Debora Lyn Porter, Steven E. Naleway
Summary: Little is known about the mechanical and material properties of hyphae, the single constituent material of Agaricomycetes fungi. This study investigates the properties of different types of hyphae in Agaricomycetes and finds that skeletal hyphae make the largest contribution to the mechanical properties of fungal sporocarps. Understanding the contributions of different types of hyphae may have implications for the design and application of fungi-based or bioinspired materials.
ACTA BIOMATERIALIA
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Catarina Jorge, Joao M. N. Silva, Joana Boavida-Portugal, Cristina Soares, Sofia Cerasoli
Summary: The study demonstrates the feasibility of using digital repeat photography to monitor understory vegetation phenology in Mediterranean cork oak woodlands, offering a cost-effective alternative to field spectroradiometers. The green chromatic coordinates (GCC) extracted from the photos showed good agreement with NDVI and NDWI, with different vegetation types responding to climatic factors such as rainfall and temperature. Digital repeat photography proves to be a suitable and cost-effective method for monitoring understory vegetation, with the exception of certain shrub species.
Article
Forestry
Ana Leal, Miguel N. Bugalho, Jorge M. Palmeirim
Summary: Mediterranean-climate oak woodlands are human-shaped ecosystems with high biodiversity value, providing grazing resources and other ecosystem services. Low oak recruitment rates are affecting the ecological sustainability of these ecosystems. A meta-analysis of ungulate exclusion experiments showed that ungulates have substantial negative direct impacts on acorn survival, oak seedling and sapling recruitment, and growth rates. Ungulate management is crucial for achieving adequate oak recruitment in Mediterranean oak woodlands.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Ecology
William A. Argiroff, Donald R. Zak, Peter T. Pellitier, Rima A. Upchurch, Julia P. Belke
Summary: The study reveals that ectomycorrhizal fungi with peroxidases decrease with increasing inorganic nitrogen availability in northern temperate forests, while ligninolytic fungal saprotrophs show no response. Soil organic matter and soil carbon are negatively correlated with ECM fungi with peroxidases and positively correlated with inorganic nitrogen availability, indicating that these ECM fungi contribute to the decay of lignin-derived soil organic matter and reduce soil carbon storage. The correlations observed suggest a tradeoff between tree nitrogen nutrition and ECM composition, influencing soil organic matter dynamics in temperate forests.
Article
Plant Sciences
Michal Andreas, Romana Prausova, Tereza Brestovanska, Lucie Hostinska, Marketa Kalabova, Petr Bogusch, Josef P. Halda, Patrik Rada, Ladislav Sterba, Martin Cizek, Jakub Horak
Summary: It is evident that biodiverse urban forests have positive impacts on biodiversity and citizen health. The study in Prague, Czech Republic, found that continuous forests dominated by native oaks with open canopies, diverse tree species and shrubs, and scattered trees in the surrounding landscape were optimal for biodiversity. Active forest management is crucial for maintaining biodiversity in urban forests.
URBAN FORESTRY & URBAN GREENING
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ying Chang, Yang Wang, Stephen Mondo, Steven Ahrendt, William Andreopoulos, Kerrie Barry, Jeff Beard, Gerald L. Benny, Sabrina Blankenship, Gregory Bonito, Christina Cuomo, Alessandro Desiro, Kyle A. Gervers, Hope Hundley, Alan Kuo, Kurt LaButti, B. Franz Lang, Anna Lipzen, Kerry O'Donell, Jasmyn Pangilinan, Nicole Reynolds, Laura Sandor, Matthew E. Smith, Adria Tsang, Igor V. Grigotiev, Jason E. Stajich, Joseph W. Spatafora
Summary: Fungi adapt to various ecological niches by secreting proteins, and their secretome composition is closely related to fungal ecologies. Phylogeny plays an important role in shaping the secretome composition of zygomycete fungi, while trophic mode contributes less. Lineage-specific expansions of secreted digestive enzymes were identified in early-diverging fungal lineages.
Article
Mycology
Adriana Corrales, Rachel A. Koch, Aida M. Vasco-Palacios, Matthew E. Smith, Zai-Wei Ge, Terry W. Henkel
Summary: Research in tropical regions over the past 30 years has greatly expanded knowledge about the occurrence and diversity of tropical ectomycorrhizal fungi. A comprehensive review and data analysis of 49 studies revealed biogeographic and diversity patterns in different tropical regions. The study highlights knowledge gaps and emphasizes the need for increased sampling, collaborative efforts, and molecular methodologies to further understand and conserve tropical ectomycorrhizal fungi.
Article
Plant Sciences
Elena Karlsen-Ayala, Matthew E. Smith, Bryce C. Askey, Romina Gazis
Summary: The south Florida pine rocklands, a critically endangered ecosystem, require replanting of the dominant tree species, South Florida slash pine. The study emphasizes the importance of incorporating native ectomycorrhizal fungi into pine seedling replanting efforts for successful restoration.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Nicole K. Reynolds, Jason E. Stajich, Gerald L. Benny, Kerrie Barry, Stephen Mondo, Kurt LaButti, Anna Lipzen, Chris Daum, Igor Grigoriev, Hsiao-Man Ho, Pedro W. Crous, Joseph W. Spatafora, Matthew E. Smith
Summary: Improved sequencing technologies have revolutionized the understanding of fungal diversity and evolution on a global scale. A study was conducted using low coverage genome sequencing (LCGS) to analyze 171 Kickxellomycotina fungi and obtain marker genes for phylogenomic reconstruction. The study aimed to evaluate the quality and utility of LCGS data, test relationships among different clades, and compare functional analyses to gain insights into trophic modes.
GENOME BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Mycology
Claudia A. Paez, Nattapol Kraisitudomsook, Jason A. Smith, Andrew L. Loyd, Daniel L. Lindner, Matthew E. Smith
Summary: In this study, the authors conducted phylogenetic analyses to determine the relationship of Laetiporus persicinus with other fungal species. They found that Laetiporus persicinus does not belong to the Laetiporus genus, but is closely related to the African species Kusaghiporia usambarensis. This discovery led to the proposal of a new combination name, Kusaghiporia persicinus, based on morphological and molecular data.
Article
Mycology
Rodolfo Salas-Lizana, Margarita Villegas Rios, Julieta Alvarez-Manjarrez, Eduardo Perez-Pazos, Arian Farid, Alan Franck, Mathew E. E. Smith, Roberto Garibay-Orijel
Summary: Through the analysis of morphological and molecular data, nine new Clavulina species-level clades were discovered, two of which are proposed as new species. In addition, C. floridana is a new record for Mexico. The diversity of Clavulina in tropical North America is comparable to that found in lowland tropical South America. However, some species found in tropical deciduous forests produce small, rare, and inconspicuous basidiomata, which go unnoticed and are poorly represented in collections.
Article
Mycology
Donald H. Pfister, Rosanne Healy, Katherine F. LoBuglio, Giuliana Furci, James Mitchell, Matthew E. Smith
Summary: This study discusses the occurrence and distribution of morels in Nothofagaceae forests of South America, based on field studies in Southern Chile and Argentina. Using phylogenetic analysis, four lineages were identified, and the distribution range of two South American unique lineages was expanded. Additionally, the presence of M. eximia in Chile was reported for the first time.
MYCOLOGICAL PROGRESS
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Alija Bajro Mujic, Nahuel Policelli, Martin A. Nunez, Camille Truong, Matthew E. Smith
Summary: This study found that the invasion of Pinaceae plants affects the soil fungi of Nothofagaceae plants in southern South America. The invasive Pinaceae plants reduced the soil organic matter content and the relative abundance of Mortierellaceae fungi and Nothofagaceae-associated ECM fungi in the soil.
Article
Ecology
Elena Karlsen-Ayala, Michelle A. Jusino, Romina Gazis, Matthew E. Smith
Summary: This study investigated the communities of ectomycorrhizal fungi in three different habitats in Florida and their association with the spore bank fungi and two species of pines. The dominant species in all habitats were Rhizopogon, and the community composition of fungal communities was influenced by habitat type and location. However, there were no significant differences in ectomycorrhizal communities between the two pine species.
Article
Plant Sciences
Benjamin Lemmond, Alassane Sow, Gregory Bonito, Matthew E. E. Smith
Summary: Tuber brumale, a European truffle species, has been unintentionally introduced into truffle orchards in North America, resembling valuable black truffles but with different aroma and flavor. Recent findings indicate widespread fruiting of T. brumale in North American truffle orchards, likely due to its introduction during the cultivation of T. melanosporum trees.
Article
Plant Sciences
J. Aaron Hogan, Michelle A. Jusino, Matthew E. Smith, Adriana Corrales, Xiaoyang Song, Yue-hua Hu, Jie Yang, Min Cao, Oscar J. Valverde-Barrantes, Christopher Baraloto
Summary: Forest fungal communities in Xishuangbanna, China are influenced by soil environment, root morphological traits, and root chemistry. Results showed that soil phosphorus is the main factor affecting root-associated fungal communities, while root calcium and manganese concentrations and root morphology also play a secondary role.
Article
Plant Sciences
Brett R. Lane, Amy E. Kendig, Christopher M. Wojan, Ashish Adhikari, Michelle A. Jusino, Nicholas Kortessis, Margaret W. Simon, Robert D. Holt, Matthew E. Smith, Keith Clay, S. Luke Flory, Philip F. Harmon, Erica M. Goss
Summary: This study examined the dynamic changes in foliar fungal communities on the invasive plant Microstegium vimineum. The researchers found that the phyllosphere fungal community became increasingly diverse and underwent substantial composition changes over a period of two months with increasing disease severity. Fungicide application caused shifts in fungal community composition and increased diversity at the late-season timepoint. These findings highlight the importance of understanding the roles of putative endophytes in disease dynamics of invasive plants.
PHYTOBIOMES JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Andre Rodrigues, Andrew J. Johnson, Ross A. Joseph, You Li, Nemat O. Keyhani, Edward L. Stanley, Benjamin Weiss, Martin Kaltenpoth, Matthew E. Smith, Jiri Hulcr
Summary: Platypodinae ambrosia beetles rely on mutualistic fungi for food and cooperate in colonizing dead trees. The study discovered that Euplatypus parallelus may lack mycangia, unlike other Platypodinae species. However, both Euplatypus species contain yeast related to the fungi.
Review
Microbiology
Andrii P. Gryganskyi, Jacob Golan, Anna Muszewska, Alexander Idnurm, Somayeh Dolatabadi, Stephen J. Mondo, Vira B. Kutovenko, Volodymyr O. Kutovenko, Michael T. Gajdeczka, Iryna M. Anishchenko, Julia Pawlowska, Ngoc Vinh Tran, Ingo Ebersberger, Kerstin Voigt, Yan Wang, Ying Chang, Teresa E. Pawlowska, Joseph Heitman, Rytas Vilgalys, Gregory Bonito, Gerald L. Benny, Matthew E. Smith, Nicole Reynolds, Timothy Y. James, Igor V. Grigoriev, Joseph W. Spatafora, Jason E. Stajich
Summary: The genome of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was the first eukaryotic organism genome sequenced, reported in 1996, but it took over 10 years to sequence any of the zygomycete fungi, which belong to the phyla Mucoromycota and Zoopagomycota. Over 1000 zygomycete genomes have now been sequenced, revealing deep phylogenetic separation between plant-associated saprotrophic Mucoromycota and animal-associated parasites and commensals in the Zoopagomycota. Genomic studies have provided insights into fungal adaptations to living on land, including light and gravity sensing, hyphal growth, and co-existence with terrestrial plants. Genomic data has also facilitated research on genome architecture, pathogenicity genes, secondary metabolites, and endosymbiotic bacteria and viruses.
Article
Mycology
Alija B. Mujic, Todd F. Elliott, Ryan B. Stephens, James M. Trappe, Rebecca Kristol, Danielle Sublett, Matthew E. Smith
Summary: This study presents the taxonomic and systematic study of truffle-forming genera Destuntzia and Kjeldsenia, revealing new species and expanding their geographic ranges. The study also identifies additional undescribed species, which has important ecological implications for understanding these fungi.
