Article
Plant Sciences
Long Peng, Xiaoliang Shan, Yuzhan Yang, Yuchen Wang, Irina S. Druzhinina, Xueyu Pan, Wei Jin, Xinghua He, Xinyu Wang, Xiaoguo Zhang, Francis M. Martin, Zhilin Yuan
Summary: This study investigates a symbiotic interaction between a common soil saprotroph, Clitopilus hobsonii, and the American sweetgum, which leads to increased plant growth and potassium uptake under potassium limitation conditions. The exchange of additional carbon and potassium between the partners is suggested as the main benefit of this novel tree-fungus symbiosis.
PLANT CELL AND ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Pingxing Wan, Ningning Zhang, Yufei Li, Shiqing Li, Feng-Min Li, Zengtuan Cui, Feng Zhang
Summary: Plastic film mulching can improve the soil fungal community, reduce the abundance of fungal pathogens, and increase the abundance of plant biocontrol fungi, resulting in increased maize yield.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Christopher P. Kasanke, Qian Zhao, Trinidad Alfaro, Christopher A. Walter, Sarah E. Hobbie, Tanya E. Cheeke, Kirsten S. Hofmockel
Summary: Nutrient exchange between land plants and AM fungi is based on symbiosis, and environmental factors and nutrient addition have important impacts on the distribution patterns of AM fungi. Our study found that ecosystem type, rather than nutrient treatment, is the main driver of AM fungal colonization, diversity, and community composition. This research provides evidence for the importance of long-term, large scale studies in understanding nutrient addition effects and ecological context.
Article
Ecology
Benjawan Tanunchai, Li Ji, Simon Andreas Schroeter, Sara Fareed Mohamed Wahdan, Shakhawat Hossen, Yoseph Delelegn, Francois Buscot, Ann-Sophie Lehnert, Eliane Gomes Alves, Ines Hilke, Gerd Gleixner, Ernst-Detlef Schulze, Matthias Noll, Witoon Purahong
Summary: This study compared the assignment quality and quantity of the FungalTraits and FUNGuild databases for fungal ITS-based amplicon sequencing datasets. The results showed that FungalTraits assigned more functional traits than FUNGuild, especially in terms of saprotrophs, plant pathogens, and endophytes. Additionally, FungalTraits performed better in assigning ASVs from different tree species, resulting in higher ASV richness and more diverse fungal functional community composition. The databases showed similar effects of environmental factors for saprotrophs but different patterns for endophytes.
Article
Microbiology
Alice Ferreira-Silva, Frederic Mendes Hughes, Carlos Augusto Rosa, Luiz Henrique Rosa
Summary: Endophytic fungi are highly diverse and compartmentalized in different tissues of the cactus Melocactus ernestii in the Brazilian Caatinga biome, with most taxa found in root tissues. The study revealed significant differences in species richness among fungal assemblages across plants and tissues, with some fungi shared exclusively between spines and stems, indicating potential interactions and resource dependency. The findings provide insights into the diversity and turnover of endophytic fungal assemblages in semi-arid environments.
Article
Ecology
Mayara Baptistucci Ogaki, Otavio Henrique Bezerra Pinto, Rosemary Vieira, Arthur Ayres Neto, Peter Convey, Micheline Carvalho-Silva, Carlos Augusto Rosa, Paulo E. A. S. Camara, Luiz Henrique Rosa
Summary: This study assessed fungal diversity in deep-sea sediments from the Southern Ocean using high-throughput sequencing, revealing a rich fungal community with high diversity of dominant and rare fungal species. The detected fungal community included globally distributed taxa, indicating potential transport of fungi from terrestrial to deep marine environments.
Article
Ecology
Luiz Henrique Rosa, Otavio Henrique Bezerra Pinto, Peter Convey, Micheline Carvalho-Silva, Carlos Augusto Rosa, Paulo Eduardo Aguiar Saraiva Camara
Summary: Using DNA metabarcoding and high-throughput sequencing, a study assessed the fungal diversity in air samples from King George Island, Antarctica, identifying 186 fungal amplicon sequence variants dominated by phyla such as Ascomycota and Basidiomycota. The study found that the airborne fungi displayed high indices of diversity, richness, and dominance, including saprophytic, mutualistic, and plant and animal opportunistic pathogenic taxa. Further research is needed to understand the arrival and movement of these fungi within Antarctica and the potential impact of climate change on the development of non-native fungal species.
Article
Biology
Daniel B. Raudabaugh, Daniel G. Wells, Patrick B. Matheny, Karen W. Hughes, Malcolm Sargent, Teresa Iturriaga, Andrew N. Miller
Summary: Some post-fire fungi can form endophytic/endolichenic relationships with plants and lichens. Visual examination under laboratory conditions revealed physical interactions between a post-fire fungus and a moss. This study provides additional support for P. carbonaria having multiple strategies in how it obtains nutrients from the environment, and provides the first visual documentation of these structures in vitro.
Article
Environmental Sciences
B. Thakur, R. K. Yadav, R. Marmeisse, S. Prashanth, M. Krishnamohan, L. F. Tachet, M. S. Reddy
Summary: This study used metagenomics and metatranscriptomics to investigate the structure and function of eukaryotic microbial communities in heavy metal-contaminated soils across different climatic regions. The study revealed the presence of different eukaryotic phyla and identified marker organisms for further characterization. Functional metatranscriptomics analysis identified various expressed eukaryotic genes involved in metal tolerance. The findings highlight the importance of active microbes in specific environmental conditions.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Luis Daniel Prada-Salcedo, Kezia Goldmann, Anna Heintz-Buschart, Thomas Reitz, Janna Wambsganss, Jurgen Bauhus, Francois Buscot
Summary: Research shows that tree traits have a significant impact on soil fungal communities, rather than tree species diversity. Tree traits can be categorized as 'fast' and 'slow', driving different fungal guilds and influencing biogeochemical cycles.
Article
Fisheries
Anupam Podder, Soumyadip Panja, Atreyee Chaudhuri, Anwesha Roy, Missidona Biswas, Sumit Homechaudhuri
Summary: The study evaluates the ecomorphological relationship among 37 fish species in the Indian Sundarbans, focusing on identifying feeding guilds, understanding morphological relationships with diet, and assessing potential phylogenetic convergence. It highlights the importance of morphological differentiation in driving dietary variations and resource utilization patterns among coexisting species, while also suggesting the 8-Guild model as more representative of species feeding habits compared to the broader 3-Guild model.
JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Immunology
Anuruddha Karunarathna, Saowaluck Tibpromma, Ruvishika S. Jayawardena, Chandrika Nanayakkara, Suhail Asad, Jianchu Xu, Kevin D. Hyde, Samantha C. Karunarathna, Steven L. Stephenson, Saisamorn Lumyong, Jaturong Kumla
Summary: Grasslands are major primary producers and important components in watersheds. Various factors, such as fungal interactions, herbivores, and plant-fungal pathogenic interactions, play vital roles in maintaining biodiversity and biomass in grasslands. Decreased species diversity in grasslands can lead to increased severity and transmission rates of fungal diseases, highlighting the importance of understanding and managing ecological complexities in these ecosystems.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Mycology
Samad Ashrafi, Jan-Peer Wennrich, Yvonne Becker, Jose G. Macia-Vicente, Anke Brisske-Rode, Matthias Daub, Torsten Thuenen, Abdelfattah A. Dababat, Maria R. Finckh, Marc Stadler, Wolfgang Maier
Summary: This study investigated fungal strains isolated from eggs of the cereal cyst nematode Heterodera filipjevi and roots of Microthlaspi perfoliatum. The strains were found to belong to a distinct lineage closely related to Equiseticola and Ophiosphaerella. Pathogenicity tests demonstrated that the fungus could parasitize its original nematode host as well as the sugar beet cyst nematode H. schachtii. The fungus also showed the ability to colonize the roots of wheat and produce melanized hyphae.
Article
Microbiology
Akram H. Mohamed, Fayrouz H. Abd El-Megeed, Naziha M. Hassanein, Sameh H. Youseif, Peter F. Farag, Saleh A. Saleh, Basel A. Abdel-Wahab, Amnah Mohammed Alsuhaibani, Yosra A. Helmy, Ahmed M. Abdel-Azeem
Summary: This study aims to explore the potential of native fungi associated with wild plants to enhance wheat yields and investigate their plant growth-promoting traits. The results demonstrate that some fungi exhibit high plant growth-promoting activity and significantly improve wheat yields and nutrient content under reduced chemical nitrogen fertilization.
Article
Plant Sciences
Robert L. Whyle, Amy M. Trowbridge, Mary A. Jamieson
Summary: This study investigates the effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and herbivores on plant fitness, finding that genotype and herbivory are key determinants of phenotypic variation. Mycorrhizal inoculation enhances plant growth and reproduction, while herbivory alters floral volatile profiles. Genotype plays a significant role in shaping floral volatile composition and emissions, ultimately influencing plant productivity.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Joshua S. Lee, Corey T. Callaghan, William K. Cornwell
Summary: Large and severe fires, known as mega-fires, are becoming more frequent worldwide, affecting ecosystems with long intervals between fires. The 2019-2020 Australian bushfires caused extensive damage and loss of native fauna. Some bird species thrive in post-fire environments while others require ecosystem recovery. A study on 76 bird species found that some species decreased in occurrence after the fire, some increased, and others showed no significant effect. Furthermore, diet specialists, small-bodied birds, and birds with smaller range sizes were less likely to be found in burnt areas after the fire.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Haiyang Zhang, Amber C. Churchill, Ian C. Anderson, Chioma Igwenagu, Sally A. Power, Jonathan M. Plett, Catriona A. Macdonald, Elise Pendall, Yolima Carrillo, Jeff R. Powell
Summary: This study assessed the variation in carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in symbiotic fungi and a host plant in response to experimental warming and drought. The results showed that climate change exacerbated fungal phosphorus accumulation and modified the composition of symbiotic fungal communities.
Article
Agronomy
Samantha E. Andres, Nathan J. Emery, Paul D. Rymer, Jeff R. Powell
Summary: This study identified candidate fungi and soil physiochemical properties associated with observed dieback and dieback resistance in an Endangered shrub and provides groundwork for further exploring what drives dieback and how it can be managed to promote the conservation of wild populations.
Article
Ecology
Hai-Yang Zhang, Xiao-Tao Lu, Cun-Zheng Wei, Jeff R. Powell, Xiao-Bo Wang, Ding-Liang Xing, Zhu-Wen Xu, Huan-Long Li, Xing-Guo Han
Summary: Understanding the mechanisms behind community assembly and biodiversity patterns is crucial in the fields of ecology and evolution. The size of an organism's genome (GS) has been suggested to potentially impact its ability to tolerate environmental stress and therefore influence community assembly. However, the role of GS in driving beta-diversity (spatial variation in species composition) is still uncertain.
Article
Plant Sciences
Kelsey B. Bartlett, Matthew W. Austin, James B. Beck, Amy E. Zanne, Adam B. Smith
Summary: The study found that in addition to climate change, plant phenology is also influenced by genetic constraints, competition, and self-compatibility. Through analyzing over 900 herbarium records, it was discovered that spring precipitation and temperature have a significant impact on plant flowering and fruiting. The research is important for predicting the effects of climate change on plant phenology.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Carlos A. Aguilar-Trigueros, Franz-Sebastian Krah, William K. Cornwell, Amy E. Zanne, Nerea Abrego, Ian C. Anderson, Carrie J. Andrew, Petr Baldrian, Claus Baessler, Andrew Bissett, V. Bala Chaudhary, Baodong Chen, Yongliang Chen, Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo, Coline Deveautour, Eleonora Egidi, Habacuc Flores-Moreno, Jacob Golan, Jacob Heilmann-Clausen, Stefan Hempel, Yajun Hu, Havard Kauserud, Stephanie N. Kivlin, Petr Kohout, Daniel R. Lammel, Fernando T. Maestre, Anne Pringle, Jenna Purhonen, Brajesh K. Singh, Stavros D. Veresoglou, Tomas Vetrovsky, Haiyang Zhang, Matthias C. Rillig, Jeff R. Powell
Summary: Despite the ubiquity of host-fungal symbiotic interactions, the effects of symbiosis on the ecology and evolution of fungal spores involved in dispersal and colonization have been neglected. Through a spore morphology database, we found that symbiotic status correlated with changes in spore size, but this effect varied among different fungal phyla. Symbiosis explained more variation in spore size distribution than climatic variables, and spores of plant-associated fungi have more restricted dispersal potential compared to free-living fungi. Our study advances life-history theory by highlighting the role of symbiosis in shaping reproductive and dispersal strategies among living organisms.
Article
Plant Sciences
Meitong Jiang, Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo, Mengting Maggie Yuan, Jixian Ding, Etienne Yergeau, Jizhong Zhou, Thomas W. Crowther, Yuting Liang
Summary: This study found that native microbial strains originating from typical agricultural soils can promote maize growth better than commercial plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria in soils with different fertility. The colonization and positive interaction with resident microbial communities contribute to the superior performance of native strains. These findings suggest that engineering crop microbiomes using native microbes could improve food production in poor soils.
Article
Plant Sciences
Ruby E. E. Stephens, Rachael V. V. Gallagher, Lily Dun, Will Cornwell, Herve Sauquet
Summary: Most contemporary angiosperms are insect pollinated, but wind, water or vertebrate pollination also occurs in many lineages. This study reconstructs the ancestral pollination mode of angiosperms and quantifies the timing and environmental associations of pollination shifts. It found that angiosperms were ancestrally insect pollinated and wind and vertebrate pollination evolved multiple times. The probability of wind pollination increases with habitat openness and distance from the equator.
Article
Communication
Evelyn Valdez-Ward, Robert N. Ulrich, Nic Bennett, Linh Anh Cat, Tamara Marcus, Sunshine Menezes, Allison H. Mattheis, Kathleen K. Treseder
Summary: The dominant U.S. cultural norms influence STEM and science communication, perpetuating oppressive systems. However, there is a lack of inclusive training spaces in science communication that center marginalized identities. To address this, ReclaimingSTEM provides a healing-centered counterspace that focuses on the experiences and needs of people from marginalized communities.
FRONTIERS IN COMMUNICATION
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Krista L. Plett, Marlow Monk, Angus J. Carnegie, Jeff R. Powell, Phil Green, Jonathan M. Plett
Summary: The presence of native vegetation significantly affects the establishment and productivity of new forest plantations. In a study site in New South Wales, Australia, the growth of a Pinus radiata plantation is hindered by the native shrub Allocasuarina nana, even after its removal. The inhibitory effect is attributed to root-associated metabolites and the inhibition of the fungal community that supports P. radiata health.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Simon B. Z. Gorta, Corey T. Callaghan, Fabrice Samonte, Mark K. J. Ooi, Thomas Mesaglio, Shawn W. Laffan, Will K. Cornwell
Summary: Conditions conducive to fires are becoming increasingly common and widespread under climate change, and recent fire events across the globe have had a significant impact on biodiversity. This study used citizen science data to quantify the effect of post-fire diversity responses in burnt and unburnt regions of eastern Australia. The findings showed an increase in species diversity up to 18 months after the fires, with dry sclerophyll forests driving this overall increase. However, areas exposed to extreme fire severity experienced a decrease in overall diversity.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Max Mallen-Cooper, William K. Cornwell, Eve Slavich, Manon E. B. Sabot, Zoe A. Xirocostas, David J. Eldridge
Summary: Based on a 25-year-old biocrust survey in south-eastern Australia, this study found that most taxa of biocrusts have experienced shifts in their climate niches towards hotter and drier conditions in the past quarter century. However, the majority of taxa showed consistent responses and remained in the same geographic range, except for a few taxa that exhibited contraction at their arid range edges. This suggests that biocrust species are lagging behind the pace of climate change and may incur losses in ecosystem functionality in the contracting front.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Zhaofei Wu, Yongshuo H. Fu, Thomas W. Crowther, Shuxin Wang, Yufeng Gong, Jing Zhang, Yun-Peng Zhao, Ivan Janssens, Josep Penuelas, Constantin M. Zohner
Summary: The study found a non-linear effect of temperature on the spatial variation of spring phenological responsiveness in Ginkgo biloba trees, with the highest response rate at around 12 degrees Celsius. Trees in central China are currently the most responsive, and under a high-emission scenario, the maximum responsiveness is predicted to shift 4 degrees latitude towards higher latitudes over the rest of the century. These findings provide new insights into the mechanism of spring phenology and can inform models of ecosystem functioning.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Pengfa Li, Leho Tedersoo, Thomas W. Crowther, Baozhan Wang, Yu Shi, Lu Kuang, Ting Li, Meng Wu, Ming Liu, Lu Luan, Jia Liu, Dongzhen Li, Yongxia Li, Songhan Wang, Muhammad Saleem, Alex J. Dumbrell, Zhongpei Li, Jiandong Jiang
Summary: This study builds a global atlas of phytopathogenic fungi using over 20,000 globally distributed samples, and predicts that their diversity and invasion potential will increase globally by the end of this century, especially in forest and cropland ecosystems.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kessy Abarenkov, R. Henrik Nilsson, Karl-Henrik Larsson, Andy F. S. Taylor, Tom W. May, Tobias Guldberg Froslev, Julia Pawlowska, Bjoern Lindahl, Kadri Poldmaa, Camille Truong, Duong Vu, Tsuyoshi Hosoya, Tuula Niskanen, Timo Piirmann, Filipp Ivanov, Allan Zirk, Marko Peterson, Tanya E. Cheeke, Yui Ishigami, Arnold Tobias Jansson, Thomas Stjernegaard Jeppesen, Erik Kristiansson, Vladimir Mikryukov, Joseph T. Miller, Ryoko Oono, Francisco J. Ossandon, Joana Pauperio, Irja Saar, Dmitry Schigel, Ave Suija, Leho Tedersoo, Urmas Koljalg
Summary: UNITE is a web-based database and sequence management environment for molecular identification of eukaryotes. It offers a large number of sequences for reference and ensures accurate referencing through digital object identifiers. The latest release of UNITE has improved functionalities for biodiversity discovery and integration of biological knowledge.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2023)