Contributions of environmental and maternal transmission to the assembly of leaf fungal endophyte communities
8
Citation
48
Reference
10
Related Paper
Citation Trend
Abstract:
Leaf fungal endophytes (LFEs) contribute to plant growth and responses to stress. Fungi colonize leaves through maternal transmission, e.g. via the seed, and through environmental transmission, e.g. via aerial dispersal. The relative importance of these two pathways in assembly and function of the LFE community is poorly understood. We used amplicon sequencing to track switchgrass ( Panicum virgatum ) LFEs in a greenhouse and field experiment as communities assembled from seed endophytes and rain fungi (integration of wet and dry aerial dispersal) in germinating seeds, seedlings, and adult plants. Rain fungi varied temporally and hosted a greater portion of switchgrass LFE richness (greater than 65%) than were found in seed endophytes (greater than 25%). Exposure of germinating seeds to rain inoculum increased dissimilarity between LFE communities and seed endophytes, increasing the abundance of rain-derived taxa, but did not change diversity. In the field, seedling LFE composition changed more over time, with a decline in seed-derived taxa and an increase in richness, in response to environmental transmission than LFEs of adult plants. We show that environmental transmission is an important driver of LFE assembly, and likely plant growth, but its influence depends on both the conditions at the time of colonization and plant life stage.Keywords:
Panicum virgatum
Endophyte
Old field
Seed dispersal has long been an object of fascination to biologists and the general public alike. Examples abound of structures that have clearly evolved to promote dispersal by wind or on the outside or inside of animals, but it is only recently that attention has turned to the question of just how well these structures work and what happens to the seeds of all those species (the majority) with no obvious adaptations for dispersal. Few things in seed ecology have changed more in recent years than our understanding of seed dispersal.
Seed dispersal syndrome
Cite
Citations (0)
Seed dispersal is the movement or transport of seeds away from the parent individuals in some ways to germinate and then settle seedling in appropriate habitats.The ways of seed dispersal are divided into active and passive type,and the latter way includes wind dispersal,water dispersal,animal dispersal and human action dispersal.The dispersal ways of plant seeds are suitable to its living environment to a large extent,and the plants in different habitats have adapted to their ways of seed dispersal,and morphological and structural characteristics of seeds are often matched its dispersal way.In the long-term,co-evolution,a symbiotic relationship,was formed between plant and animals of dispersing seeds,which is of great importance to maintain the structure and stability of community.
Seed dispersal syndrome
Adaptability
Cite
Citations (0)
Two-phase seed dispersal systems are simply special cases of secondary dispersal. But seed dispersal involving two distinct mechanisms of seed movement deserves special attention because two-phase dispersal can offer more benefits to plants and the most effective mechanism can shift temporally or spatially from one mode of dispersal (phase one) to another (phase two). The five two-phase seed dispersal systems are described. The adaptation of seeds, fruits and, where relevant, animals to the two phases of dispersal are discussed. The advantages and disadvantages of each phase of seed dispersal to plants are presented. The possible contribution of two-phase seed dispersal system to evolutionary change in dispersal mode is discussed.
Seed dispersal syndrome
Mode (computer interface)
Cite
Citations (24)
Seed dispersal is a fundamental process in the lifecycle of all flowering plants. Many plant species have evolved specialist associations with biotic vectors to facilitate dispersal. Such specialised interactions mean that these associations are potentially highly sensitive to disruption, e.g. from invasive species. However, despite this threat we still understand remarkably little about how such perturbations affect the dynamics and efficiency of the seed-dispersal process. In this study we quantify the impacts of an invasive ant across three key phases of the seed dispersal process: seed removal, distribution and placement, in order to determine the stages of seed dispersal most vulnerable to disruption by invaders. Using the Argentine ant (Linepithema humile) as a model, we show that invaded sites exhibited a significant decrease in seed dispersal services across all three phases of the dispersal process, relative to non-invaded sites. Seeds dispersed in invaded sites were: (a) less likely to be transported; (b) potentially distributed over a smaller spatial area, and (c) less likely to be placed at soil depths favourable for germination and establishment compared to those dispersed in non-invaded sites. These results reveal that ant-mediated seed dispersal services are significantly reduced by an invasive species at multiple stages in the dispersal process. Reductions in the efficacy of seed dispersal, combined with shifts in the ecological and geographical patterns of dispersal, may lead to cascading impacts on plant species composition and community structure. This study shows how an invasive ant can affect seed dispersal at several stages in the dispersal process.
Linepithema
Argentine ant
Seed dispersal syndrome
Cite
Citations (11)
Little is known about how patterns and mechanisms of seed dispersal vary among different habitats. To address this we studied Rhinanthus minor , a grassland annual herb, in four environments: early or late hay cutting, grazing by sheep, and no management. Comprehensive measures were made of dispersal, by intensive seed trapping up to 25 m from source plants and in four directions. We found large differences in dispersal among the environments in terms of curve shape, maximum distance and directionality. Dispersal was shortest under grazing (maximum distance 0.9 m) and furthest under the early cut (19.1 m). Dispersal differences reflect the mechanisms of dispersal in each environment. Dispersal was by wind under no management, and by the mowing machinery under an early cut, whereas a late cut produced a combination of dispersal by wind and the machinery. Grazing hindered dispersal, through trampling of plants. Additional measures of seed mass supported the hypothesis of a negative seed size vs dispersal distance relationship and suggested its generality across a range of environments. Understanding the variation in dispersal patterns among environments may allow increased realism of spatial models.
Seed dispersal syndrome
Trampling
Cite
Citations (80)
Seed dispersal syndrome
Cite
Citations (315)
Seed dispersal syndrome
Cite
Citations (2)
Seed dispersal syndrome
Frugivore
Diaspore (botany)
Cite
Citations (13)
Propagule
Seed dispersal syndrome
Propagule pressure
Cite
Citations (41)
Seed dispersal syndrome
Salvia
Cite
Citations (24)