Dataset Information

Loss of functional diversity and network modularity in introduced plant-fungal symbioses.

ABSTRACT: The introduction of alien plants into a new range can result in the loss of co-evolved symbiotic organisms, such as mycorrhizal fungi, that are essential for normal plant physiological functions. Prior studies of mycorrhizal associations in alien plants have tended to focus on individual plant species on a case-by-case basis. This approach limits broad scale understanding of functional shifts and changes in interaction network structure that may occur following introduction. Here we use two extensive datasets of plant-fungal interactions derived from fungal sporocarp observations and recorded plant hosts in two island archipelago nations: New Zealand (NZ) and the United Kingdom (UK). We found that the NZ dataset shows a lower functional diversity of fungal hyphal foraging strategies in mycorrhiza of alien as compared with native trees. Across species this resulted in fungal foraging strategies associated with alien trees being much more variable in functional composition compared with native trees, which had a strikingly similar functional composition. The UK data showed no functional difference in fungal associates of alien and native plant genera. Notwithstanding this, both the NZ and UK data showed a substantial difference in interaction network structure of alien trees compared with native trees. In both cases, fungal associates of native trees showed strong modularity, while fungal associates of alien trees generally integrated into a single large module. The results suggest a lower functional diversity (in one dataset) and a simplification of network structure (in both) as a result of introduction, potentially driven by either limited symbiont co-introductions or disruption of habitat as a driver of specificity due to nursery conditions, planting, or plant edaphic-niche expansion. Recognizing these shifts in function and network structure has important implications for plant invasions and facilitation of secondary invasions via shared mutualist populations.

SUBMITTER: Dickie IA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5391694 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Loss of functional diversity and network modularity in introduced plant-fungal symbioses.

Dickie Ian A IA Cooper Jerry A JA Bufford Jennifer L JL Hulme Philip E PE Bates Scott T ST

AoB PLANTS 20161230

The introduction of alien plants into a new range can result in the loss of co-evolved symbiotic organisms, such as mycorrhizal fungi, that are essential for normal plant physiological functions. Prior studies of mycorrhizal associations in alien plants have tended to focus on individual plant species on a case-by-case basis. This approach limits broad scale understanding of functional shifts and changes in interaction network structure that may occur following introduction. Here we use two exte ...[more]

PMID: 28039116

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Project description:BackgroundLichens represent not only the mutualism of fungal and photosynthetic partners but also are composed of microbial consortium harboring diverse fungi known as endolichenic fungi. While endolichenic fungi are known to exert a remarkable influence on lichen ecology through their crucial roles in nutrient cycling, bioprospecting and biodiversity, the enigmatic community structures of these fungal inhabitants remain shrouded in mystery, awaiting further exploration and discovery. To address knowledge gap, we conducted metabarcoding on two lichens using 18S gene amplification, Dirinara applanta and Parmotrema tinctorum, and compared their microbial communities to those found in the pine bark to which the lichens were attached. Our hypothesis was that the endolichenic communities would exhibit distinct diversity patterns, community structures, network structures, and specialist composition compared to the surrounding epiphytic community.ResultsOur investigation has shed light on the clear demarcation between the endolichenic and epiphytic fungal communities, as they exhibit markedly different characteristics that set them apart from each other. This research demonstrated that the endolichenic communities are less diverse as compared to the epiphytic communities. Through community similarity analysis, we observed that two endolichenic communities are more similar to each other in terms of community composition than with the adjacent epiphytic communities. Moreover, we unveiled a striking contrast in the network structures between the endolichenic and epiphytic communities, as the former displayed a more modular and less nested features that is evocative of a potent host-filtration mechanism.ConclusionsThrough our investigation, we have discovered that lichens harbor less intricate and interconnected fungal communities compared to the neighboring epiphytic environment. These observations provide valuable insights into the metagenomic architecture of lichens and offer a tantalizing glimpse into the unique mycobiome.

Dataset Information

Loss of functional diversity and network modularity in introduced plant-fungal symbioses.

Publications

Loss of functional diversity and network modularity in introduced plant-fungal symbioses.

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