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ENDOPHYTIC FUNGAL COMMUNITY OF ALIEN Nicotiana glauca IN TENERIFE, CANARY ISLANDS
Abstract
Nicotiana glauca it is naturally distributed throughout South America. It was introduced in North America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania and arrived to the Canary Islands as an ornamental plant, where has been invading altered soils. Endophytic fungi are known to produce active compounds that provide protection to their host against diseases and attack of herbivores, these microorganisms being an interesting source of novel molecules. So far, the endophytic fungal communities of Nicotiana have not been studied in the Canary Islands. The goal of this study is to evaluate the diversity of the fungal endophytes community associated with Nicotiana glauca. A total of 36 fungal species were isolated from roots, stems and leaves of plants collected in three locations from Tenerife Island - San Miguel de Abona, Fasnia and Puerto de la Cruz. The highest species richness values were found in leaves and stems (Margalef index = 3.33 and 3.36, respectively) versus roots (Margalef index = 2.52). Simpson's index complements the results of the Margalef index, indicating a fungal community with a high dominance value in roots (D = 0.65) due to the presence of multiple Fusarium species. Fungal community in Fasnia had the highest value of species richness (Margalef index = 3.69 versus 2.17 and 2.27 for San Miguel de Abona and Puerto de la Cruz, respectively). Results indicate fungal specificity to organ and location with 13 genera isolated from a single location and organ, among which rare species like Collariella and Gelasinospora. In this study was detected and isolated for the first time in Canary Islands the fungal species Collariella hilkhuijsenii which is of importance for the ecology of this genus scarcely known. Special attention should be offered to the presence of Fusarium, which possibly relates to the alkaloid production ability of both, the plant and the fungal strains.
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Loss in plant diversity is expected to impact biodiversity and ecosystem functioning (BEF) in terrestrial ecosystems. Soil microbes play essential roles in regulating ecosystem functions. However, the important roles and differences in bacterial and fungal diversity and rare microbial taxa in driving soil multifunctionality based on plant diversity remain poorly understood in grassland ecosystems. Here, we carried out an experiment in six study sites with varied plant diversity levels to evaluate the relationships between soil bacterial and fungal diversity, rare taxa, and soil multifunctionality in a semi-arid grassland. We used Illumina HiSeq sequencing to determine soil bacterial and fungal diversity and evaluated soil functions associated with the nutrient cycle. We found that high diversity plant assemblages had a higher ratio of below-ground biomass to above-ground biomass, soil multifunctionality, and lower microbial carbon limitation than those with low diversity. Moreover, the fungal richness was negatively and significantly associated with microbial carbon limitations. The fungal richness was positively related to soil multifunctionality, but the bacterial richness was not. We also found that the relative abundance of saprotrophs was positively correlated with soil multifunctionality, and the relative abundance of pathogens was negatively correlated with soil multifunctionality. In addition, the rare fungal taxa played a disproportionate role in regulating soil multifunctionality. Structural equation modeling showed that the shift of plant biomass allocation patterns increased plant below-ground biomass in the highly diverse plant plots, which can alleviate soil microbial carbon limitations and enhance the fungal richness, thus promoting soil multifunctionality. Overall, these findings expand our comprehensive understanding of the critical role of soil fungal diversity and rare taxa in regulating soil multifunctionality under global plant diversity loss scenarios.
Chaetomiaceae comprises phenotypically diverse species, which impact biotechnology, the indoor environment and human health. Recent studies showed that most of the traditionally defined genera in Chaetomiaceae are highly polyphyletic. Many of these morphology-based genera, such as Chaetomium , Thielavia and Humicola , have been redefined using multigene phylogenetic analysis combined with morphology; however, a comprehensive taxonomic overview of the family is lacking. In addition, the phylogenetic relationship of thermophilic Chaetomiaceae species with non-thermophilic taxa in the family is largely unclear due to limited taxon sampling in previous studies. In this study, we provide an up-to-date overview on the taxonomy and phylogeny of genera and species belonging to Chaetomiaceae , including an extensive taxon sampling of thermophiles. A multigene phylogenetic analysis based on the ITS (internal transcribed spacers 1 and 2 including the 5.8S nrDNA), LSU (D1/D2 domains of the 28S nrDNA), rpb2 (partial RNA polymerase II second largest subunit gene) and tub2 (β-tubulin gene) sequences was performed on 345 strains representing Chaetomiaceae and 58 strains of other families in Sordariales . Divergence times based on the multi-gene phylogeny were estimated as aid to determine the genera in the family. Genera were delimited following the criteria that a genus must be a statistically well-supported monophyletic clade in both the multigene phylogeny and molecular dating analysis, fall within a divergence time of over 27 million years ago, and be supported by ecological preference or phenotypic traits. Based on the results of the phylogeny and molecular dating analyses, combined with morphological characters and temperature-growth characteristics, 50 genera and 275 species are accepted in Chaetomiaceae . Among them, six new genera, six new species, 45 new combinations and three new names are proposed. The results demonstrate that the thermophilic species fall into seven genera ( Melanocarpus , Mycothermus , Remersonia , Thermocarpiscus gen. nov. , Thermochaetoides gen. nov. , Thermothelomyces and Thermothielavioides ). These genera cluster in six separate lineages, suggesting that thermophiles independently evolved at least six times within the family. A list of accepted genera and species in Chaetomiaceae , together with information on their MycoBank numbers, living ex-type strains and GenBank accession numbers to ITS, LSU, rpb2 and tub2 sequences is provided. Furthermore, we provide suggestions how to describe and identify Chaetomiaceae species.
Rosa roxburghii Tratt. is widely applied in food, cosmetics, and traditional medicine, and has been demonstrated to possess diverse bioactivities. Plant endophytic fungi are important microbial resources with great potential for application in many fields. They not only establish mutualistic symbiosis with host plants but also produce a variety of bioactive compounds. Therefore, in the present study, endophytic fungi were isolated from R. roxburghii , the diversity and antimicrobial activities were evaluated. As a result, 242 strains of endophytic Sordariomycetes were successfully isolated. Multigene phylogenetic analyses showed that these isolates included eight orders, 19 families, 33 genera. The dominant genera were Diaporthe (31.4%), Fusarium (14.4%), Chaetomium (7.9%), Dactylonectria (7.0%), Graphium (4.5%), Colletotrichum (4.1%), and Clonostachys (4.1%). For different tissues of R. roxburghii , alpha diversity analysis revealed that the diversity of fungal communities decreased in the order of root, fruit, stem, flower, leaf, and seed, and Clonostachys and Dactylonectria exhibited obvious tissue specificity. Meanwhile, functional annotation of 33 genera indicated that some fungi have multitrophic lifestyles combining endophytic, pathogenic, and saprophytic behavior. Additionally, antimicrobial activities of endophytic Sordariomycetes against Lasiodiplodia theobromae , Botryosphaeria dothidea , Colletotrichum capsici , Pyricularia oryzae , Rhizoctonia solani , Fusarium oxysporum , Pseudomonas syringae , Pantoea agglomerans , Staphylococcus aureus , Bacillus subtilis , Escherichia coli , and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were screened. Dual culture test assays showed that there were 40 different endophytic species with strong inhibition of at least one or moderate inhibition of two or more against the 12 tested strains. The results from the filter paper diffusion method suggested that extracellular metabolites may be more advantageous than intracellular metabolites in the development of antimicrobial agents. Eleven isolates with good activities were screened. In particular, Hypomontagnella monticulosa HGUP194009 and Nigrospora sphaerica HGUP191020 have shown promise in both broad-spectrum and intensity. Finally, some fungi that commonly cause disease have been observed to have beneficial biological activities as endophytic fungi. In conclusion, this study showed the species composition, alpha diversity, and lifestyle diversity of endophytic Sordariomycetes from R. roxburghii and demonstrated these isolates are potential sources for exploring antimicrobial agents.
One of hidden mine of antibiotics is endophytic fungi especially that inhibited medicinal plants. In this regard, leaves, stems, fruits and bulbs of some commonly medicinal plants growing in Northwestern coast of Egypt were subjected for isolation of endophytic fungi with screening study of its antimicrobial activity. Practically, more than one hundred (101) endophytic fungal species isolated from Scorpiurus muricatus , Mellilotus indicus , Lotus polyphyllos , Ononis vaginalis, Nicotiana glauca, Lycium europaeum, Asphodelus aestivus, Echium angustifolium,Fagonia cretica , Pancratium maritimum ,and Carduus getulus were tested in vitro for their antimicrobial activities against E. coli, Pseudomonas argenosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilus, Candida albicanus, Candida glabrata, Penicillium expansum, Aspergillus flavus . The values of applied diversity indices revealed significant differences in presence, absence and abundance among endophytic fungal isolates. To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first to report of Alternaria pluriseptata as endophytic species with most dominant and most active in its anitimicrobial activity among the isolated species. Seven distinctive groups were revealed from the two-way cluster analysis showing the intensity of antimicrobial activity against tested pathogens: Twenty-five percent of the isolates (26 strains assembled together in group V) exhibited no antimicrobial activity against all tested pathogens while six percent (6 isolates) assembled in group VII revealed high antimicrobial activity against five pathogens.
Temple trees, including the gymnosperm Platycladus orientalis and the angiosperm Styphnolobium japonicum, have been planted in China for thousands of years. Tree age thus varies widely from young to ancient trees. Foliar endophytes of P. orientalis and S. japonicum were surveyed in this exploratory study that was based on isolation into culture and sequencing of fungi from trees varying in age from 10 to 5000 years (P. orientalis) and from 10 to 1700 years (S. japonicum). Sequenced endophytes of P. orientalis and S. japonicum belonged to 24 and 16 fungal genera, respectively. Principal components analysis showed that 14 components were necessary to explain 90% of the variance in endophyte community structure in P. orientalis. In S. japonicum eight components were needed for 90%. It is against that backdrop of complex etiology in community structuring, that the relative frequencies (abundances) of 17 of the 24 endophytes from P. orientalis and 9 of the 16 from S. japonicum were significantly correlated with tree age. There were two major trends. Abundant fungal genera [Fusarium + Alternaria = 74.57% (P. orientalis) and 81.24% (S. japonicum)] tended to decline linearly with tree age. Most of the rare fungal genera, in contrast, increased in relative abundance linearly with tree age. Diversity (H′) and richness (Margalef) of endophyte communities in foliage thus increased as the trees aged. Relative abundances of pathogenic endophytes, or latent pathogens, (Pestalotiopsis funerea and Amyloporia subxantha in P. orientalis; Collectotrichum gloeosporioides and Botryosphaeria dothidea in S. japonicum) also increased linearly as the trees aged.Since leaf age does not vary with tree age in the deciduous S. japonicum, nor in the evergreen P. orientalis, ‘tree age’ currently lacks a mechanistic explanation for its apparent importance among common foliar endophytes.
This study was conducted to survey the fungal microflora in winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), ear, stem, root, seed and field soil in 17 field distributed on Basra province, Iraq. The mycoflora of plant parts, seeds and soil were determined morphologically and molecularly. In total 46 genera with 66 species of different fungal groups were found. The prevalent fungal group on all examined sources was the anamophic Ascomycota (85.34%), followed by Zygomycota (5.46%). Telemorphic Ascomycota was only at (3.64%) and Basidiomycota was in less than (1%). Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Fusarium were the dominant genera in soil and rhizosphere region. The same genera were found in seed but Alternaria was instead of Fusarium. The fungal diversity in plant parts was different, as Alternaria, Fusarium, Helminthosporium, Cladosporium, Penicillium and Aspergillus genera were more occurrence. The highest total fungal population was observed in rhizosphere region and soil, and the lowest was in wheat head. The occurrence of collective fungal community was almost identical in wheat seed, root and stem.
With the aim of isolation and identification of insect-associated fungi, the life stages of insects from different orders, including Coleoptera, Dermaptera and Lepidoptera, were collected from habitats in Golestan and Khuzestan Provinces (Iran) and studied, which led to the isolation of five chaetomium-like strains belonging to four taxa. DNA sequence analysis of the partial ß-tubulin (tub2) and part of the RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (rpb2), in combination with morphology, were used to identify species. The phylogenetic tree constructed based on two-locus sequence data revealed that the Chaetomium iranicum and Collariella capillicompacta isolates represented novel species and clustered distinct from other previously known species of both genera. Morphologically, the mature ascomata of Co. capillicompacta produces long and very compacted ostiolar hairs with helically and regularly coiling in the upper parts. Ch. iranicum was appeared to be sterile on PDA and OA. In addition, this is the first report of both, the genera Chaetomium and Collariella and the species Amesia atrobrunnea and A. cymbiformis associated with insects throughout the world.
The genus Thielavia is morphologically defined by having non-ostiolate ascomata with a thin peridium composed of textura epidermoidea, and smooth, singlecelled, pigmented ascospores with one germ pore. Thielavia is typified with Th. basicola that grows in close association with a hyphomycete which was traditionally identified as Thielaviopsis basicola. Besides Th. basicola exhibiting the mycoparasitic nature, the majority of the described Thielavia species are from soil, and some have economic and ecological importance. Unfortunately, no living type material of Th. basicola exists, hindering a proper understanding of the classification of Thielavia. Therefore, Thielavia basicola was neotypified by material of a mycoparasite presenting the same ecology and morphology as described in the original description. We subsequently performed a multi-gene phylogenetic analyses (rpb2, tub2, ITS and LSU) to resolve the phylogenetic relationships of the species currently recognised in Thielavia. Our results demonstrate that Thielavia is highly polyphyletic, being related to three family-level lineages in two orders. The redefined genus Thielavia is restricted to its type species, Th. basicola, which belongs to the Ceratostomataceae (Melanosporales) and its host is demonstrated to be Berkeleyomyces rouxiae, one of the two species in the “Thielaviopsis basicola” species complex. The new family Podosporaceae is sister to the Chaetomiaceae in the Sordariales and accommodates the re-defined genera Podospora, Trangularia and Cladorrhinum, with the last genus including two former Thielavia species (Th. hyalocarpa and Th. intermedia). This family also includes the genetic model species Podospora anserina, which was combined in Triangularia (as Triangularia anserina). The remaining Thielavia species fall in ten unrelated clades in the Chaetomiaceae, leading to the proposal of nine new genera (Carteria, Chrysanthotrichum, Condenascus, Hyalosphaerella, Microthielavia, Parathielavia, Pseudothielavia, Stolonocarpus and Thermothielavioides). The genus Canariomyces is transferred from Microascaceae (Microascales) to Chaetomiaceae based on its type species Can. notabilis. Canariomyces is closely related to the human-pathogenic genus Madurella, and includes three thielavia-like species and one novel species. Three monotypic genera with a chaetomium-like morph (Brachychaeta, Chrysocorona and Floropilus) are introduced to better resolve the Chaetomiaceae and the thielavia-like species in the family. Chrysocorona lucknowensis and Brachychaeta variospora are closely related to Acrophialophora and three newly introduced genera containing thielavia-like species; Floropilus chiversii is closely related to the industrially important and thermophilic species Thermothielavioides terrestris (syn. Th. terrestris). This study shows that the thielavia-like morph is a homoplastic form that originates from several separate evolutionary events. Furthermore, our results provide new insights into the taxonomy of Sordariales and the polyphyletic Lasiosphaeriaceae.
The distribution and occurrence of rare ascomycete fungi within freshwater samples in Korea was investigated. Three rare fungal strains, CNUFC-YR537-1, CNUFC-CNUP1-1, and CNUFC-NDR3-1, were isolated using serial dilution method. On the basis of their morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of their internal transcribed spacer regions and 28S rDNA sequences, the three isolates were identified as Acrostalagmus luteoalbus, Bartalinia robillardoides, and Collariella carteri, respectively. To our knowledge, these are the first records of rare genera Acrostalagmus, Bartalinia, and Collariella from Korea, and the first reports of A. luteoalbus, B. robillardoides, and C. carteri from freshwater samples.
Animal dung samples were collected from Surin and Suphan Buri provinces, Thailand. The alcohol treatment technique was used for fungal isolation. Identification of the genus Gelasinospora was based on morphological characteristics of ascomata, asci and ascospore ornamentation when grown on potato dextrose agar. Microscopic features were examined under stereo and compound microscopes and ascospores were observed using a scanning electron microscope. Four species of Gelasinospora were recorded: G. calospora, G. hippopotama, G. indica and G. stellata. The generic diagnostic description of each species was recorded. The species G. hippopotama and G. stellata, which were isolated from cow and buffalo dung are new records for Thailand. The in vitro antagonistic activity tests were conducted using isolates of each of the four species of Gelasinospora against seven genera of plant pathogenic fungi. All isolates of Gelasinospora inhibited 100% on the mycelial growth of Phytophthora palmivora and also inhibited more than 75% of the mycelial growth of Alternaria alternata, Colletotrichum capsici and Curvularia lunata. All isolates failed to inhibit the mycelial growth of Rhizoctonia oryzae and Sclerotium rolfsii, except for G. hippopotama KUFC6898, which inhibited 75.5% of the mycelial growth of R. oryzae.
The genus Artemisia, a collection of ~400 hardy herbaceous plant and shrub species, is an important resource contributing to chemistry, medicine, agriculture, industry, and ecology. Its communities of endophytic fungi have only recently begun to be explored. Summarized from studies conducted on the fungal endophytes in Artemisia species, both fungal phylogenetic diversity and the associated bioactivity was examined. Isolations from 14 species of Artemisia have led to 51 genera of fungal endophytes, 28 families, and 18 orders. Endophytes belonged mainly to Ascomycota, except for two taxa of Cantharellales and Sporidiobolales, one taxon of Mucoromycota, and one species of Oomycota. The mostly common families were Pleosporaceae, Trichocomaceae, Leptosphaeriaceae, and Botryosphaeriaceae (relative abundance = 14.89, 8.51, 7.14 and 6.38, respectively). In the search for bioactive metabolites, 27 novel compounds were characterized and 22 metabolites were isolated between 2006 and 2017. The first study on endophytic fungi isolated from species of Artemisia was published but 18 years ago. This summary of recently acquired data illustrates the considerable diversity of biological purposes addressed by fungal endophytes of Artemisia spp.
Artemisia is a plant genus highly studied for its medicinal applications. The studies on the associated fungal endophytes are scarce. Ten plants specimens of Artemisia thuscula from Tenerife and La Palma were sampled to isolate the endophytic fungi. Identification of the endophytic fungi was based on morphology, Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) and Large Subunit (LSU) regions sequencing and indicates 37 fungal species affiliated to 25 fungal genera. Colonization rate varied among plants (CR = 25% to 92.11%). The most dominant colonizers found were Alternaria alternata (CF = 18.71%), Neofusicoccum sp. (CF = 8.39%) and Preussia sp. (CF = 3.23). Tendency for host specificity of most endophytic fungal species was observed. Sorensen–Dice index revealed that of 45 cases in the matrix, 27 of them were of zero similarity. Further, only one case was found to have 57% similarity (TF2 and TF7) and one case with 50% similarity (TF1 and TF4). The rest of the cases had values ranging between 11% and 40% similarity. Diversity indices like Brillouin, Margalef species richness, Simpson index of diversity and Fisher’s alpha, revealed plants from La Palma with higher values than plants from Tenerife. Three nutrient media (i.e., potato dextrose agar - PDA, lignocellulose agar - LCA, and tomato juice agar - V8) were used in a case study and revealed no differences in terms of colonization rate when data was averaged. Colonization frequency showed several species with preference for nutrient medium (63% of the species were isolated from only one nutrient medium). For the phylogenetic reconstruction using the Bayesian method, 54 endophytic fungal ITS sequences and associated GenBank sequences were analyzed. Ten orders (Diaporthales, Dothideales, Botryosphaeriales, Hypocreales, Trichosphaeriales, Amphisphaeriales, Xylariales, Capnodiales, Pleosporales and Eurotiales) were recognized. Several arrangements of genera draw the attention, like Aureobasidium (Dothideales) and Aplosporella (Botryosphaeriales) which are clustered with a recent ancestor (BS = 0.97)
In arid regions of northern Australia, plants survive under water deficit, high temperatures, intense solar radiation and nutrient-impoverished soils. They employ various morpho-physiological and biochemical adaptations including interaction with microbial symbionts. We evaluated identity, host and tissue association with geographical distribution of fungal endophytes isolated from above- and below-ground tissues of plants of three indigenous Australian Nicotiana species. Isolation frequency and α-diversity were significantly higher for root endophyte assemblages than those of stem and leaf tissues. We recorded no differences in endophyte species richness or diversity as a function of sampling location, but did detect differences among different host genotypes and plant tissues. There was a significant pattern of community similarity associated with host genotypes but no consistent pattern of fungal community structuring associated with sampling location and tissue type, regardless of the community similarity measurements used.
The purpose of this research was to examine the fungal community of bark, sapwood and heartwood of Eucalyptus globulus ssp. globulus and E. globulus ssp. maidenii, two of the main species for pulp industry planted in Uruguay. Different trunk lesions are frequently found in E. globulus conversely to which is observed in E. maidenii growing in the same site. Slices from the basal portion of trunk were assessed for the fungal colonization. The main species that characterize these communities are the same but a low frequency of colonization in E. maidenii was remarkable. Sapwood showed the lowest and bark the highest frequency of colonization. Aureobasidium pullulans, Botryosphaeria spp., Cytospora eucalypticola, Basidiomycetes and sterile mycelia were the taxa present in almost all tissues of both hosts species. Several of these Basidiomycetes are frequently associated to Eucalyptus stumps. Simple correspondence analysis showed differences in community composition between bark and xylem from the two Eucalyptus species evidencing tissue but not host preferences. Several species present in these trunks were also found as endophytic colonizers of sprouting stumps, twigs and seedling stems of E. globulus. This indicates that these fungi could overcome the high stress conditions of mature trunk tissues and remain as latent colonizers.
Recent studies have shown that Macaronesia has considerable problems with exotic species, particularly those considered as invasive. For instance, in the Azores more than 60% of the vascular plant flora consists of non-indigenous species (Silva & Smith 2004, 2006). Several plants are presently considered to be serious threats not only to the conservation of the Azorean endemic flora and native plant communities, but also to the conservation of bird species, namely the Azores bullfinch (Pyrrhula murina) and of arthropods (Borges et al. 2006). In Madeira Archipelago, species like the black rat (Rattus rattus) and the domestic cat (Felis silvestris catus) are known to have a strong negative impact on populations of native birds. In the Canaries, about 11% of the terrestrial biota corresponds to alien species, and some recent introductions originated some social alarm, namely the recent naturalization of a species of snake (Lampropeltis getula) in Gran Canaria.
However, of the considerable number of introduced species, how many are considered
as really invasive (i.e. they are not only naturalized but are presently causing a negative
impact on the Macaronesian biota)? Among those species, which are amenable to control or eradication? Which species should be considered priorities for control actions and other measures because they are causing impact but are still possible to control or eradicate?
For instance, in Canaries the Barbary ground squirrel (Atlantoxerus getulus) is
considered an emblematic invasive alien species (IAS), but is it the top-ranking invader in
Macaronesia? French Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) is a touristic icon in the Azores, but is now also considered as an invasive alien species. What is the real impact of the different species of alien rodents in Macaronesia?
Although negative impacts have been a concern, should positive impacts also be considered? For example, several alien species still have and will most probably continue
to have an important role in the islands’ economy or as game species.
This book aims to answer some of these questions. It is a first attempt to present
information regarding alien species in the European region of Macaronesia in a systematic way. Undoubtedly, this is a difficult task, due to differences regarding legislation but also to the differences in the general treatment given to IAS in the different archipelagos.
A standard set of criteria was designed and applied to those species considered as
naturalized and occupying natural and semi-natural habitats. A first set of criteria was
used to score the effect on biodiversity values, in terms of species and habitats, which are
being affected by the invasive species. A second set of criteria was used to score the
feasibility of control or eradication of the invasive species. In this second set of criteria we
also included items reflecting the social importance of the species concerned. The
application of both sets of criteria has allowed identification of the most noxious IAS in
Macaronesia and also the ranking of those species according to a management priority.
This is of considerable importance, since, due to the large scale of the IAS problem not
only in Macaronesia but globally, it is not possible to control every introduced species.
Resources will have to be allocated to those species that are still possible to control or
eradicate with sustainable costs. Although the criteria were applied by experts from each
archipelago, a global Macaronesian approach was possible after a thorough analysis and
careful treatment of the data from each archipelago, this being the main objective of the
book.
This book is also intended to serve as a tool to raise awareness of the problem of IAS.
In fact, island ecosystems have been considered as more susceptible to IAS than
continental systems, largely due to the small scale of the islands and to peculiarities of
island biota which make them more susceptible to foreign competitors, predators and
pathogens. However, islands, particularly European islands, are important hotspots for
biodiversity, and the preservation of this natural heritage is currently also dependent on
the implementation of effective measures to contain IAS
The specificity of fungal endophytes to trees has generally been investigated on allopatric populations. In the present study, specificity was investigated on Quercus cerris and Quercus pubescens growing in sympatry at the same site, to examine host-endophyte interactions without interference from habitat-specific selective pressure. In a two-year study, 4800 samples were obtained from photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic tissue (leaves and twigs) both of healthy and declining trees. Endophytes were isolated from surface-sterilized samples and identified by traditional or molecular methods. Twenty-two endophyte species in 19 genera were identified. Some taxa in the Sordariomycetes, Dothideomycetes and Leotiomycetes colonized both species, but quantitative differences were evident. Water shortages and extended droughts may have impacted more severely on Q. cerris, which exhibited a more diverse endophytic assemblage and greater infection levels than Q. pubescens. In both species, more isolates were recovered from twigs than from leaves, and more from declining than from healthy trees. Endophytes tended to be specific to each host, and to the organs of that host. Interaction between plant species and the environment and continued competitive interaction between endophyte species may have led to niche diversification, with selection favouring host-specific and organ-specific endophytes. This study advances understanding of the role of some pathogenic fungal endophytes in Mediterranean oak forests.
Fungal plant pathogens are common in natural communities where they affect plant physiology, plant survival and biomass production. Conversely, pathogen transmission and infection may be regulated by plant-community characteristics such as plant-species diversity and functional composition that favor pathogen diversity through increases in host diversity while simultaneously reducing pathogen infection via increased variability in host density and spatial heterogeneity. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of multi-host-multi-pathogen interactions is of high significance in the context of biodiversity-ecosystem functioning. We investigated the relationship between plant diversity and aboveground obligate parasitic fungal pathogen ("pathogens" hereafter) diversity and infection in grasslands of a long-term, large-scale biodiversity experiment with varying plant-species (1-60 species) and plant functional group diversity (1-4 groups). To estimate pathogen infection of the plant communities, we visually assessed pathogen-group presence (i.e., rusts, powdery mildews, downy mildews, smuts, and leaf-spot diseases) and overall infection levels (combining incidence and severity of each pathogen group) in 82 experimental plots on all aboveground organs of all plant species per plot during four surveys in 2006.
Pathogen diversity, assessed as the cumulative number of pathogen groups on all plant species per plot, increased log-linearly with plant-species diversity. However, pathogen incidence and severity and hence overall infection decreased with increasing plant-species diversity. In addition, co-infection of plant individuals by two or more pathogen groups was less likely with increasing plant-community diversity. We conclude that plant-community diversity promotes pathogen-community diversity while at the same time reducing pathogen infection-levels of plant individuals.
A systematic survey of the endophytic assemblages of Quercus ilex in central Spain has been performed, with the goal of evaluating the importance of geographical and seasonal factors on these fungal communities. Four sampling sites were selected; one of them was sampled twice, in the spring and the autumn. The collected plant material consisted of bark, twigs and leaves from eight trees per site. Fungal strains were isolated with the use of a surface sterilization method with sodium hypochlorite. A total of 2921 fungal strains grouped into 149 `species' or morphological types were recovered. The 10 dominant species, with isolation frequencies "1.5%, were Pyrenochaeta sp., Periconiella anamorph of Biscogniauxia mediterranea (De Not.) Kuntze, Pseudonectria sp., Cryptosporiopsis quercina Petrak, Alternaria alternata (Fr:) Keissl., two undetermined coelomycetes, Penicillium funiculosum Thom, Diplodia mutila Fr. apud Mont. and Ascochyta sp. Medians of fungal species per tree were significantly different among the sampled sites. The isolation frequencies of the dominant species, as well as other less frequent species, were significantly dependent on the sampling site. The degree of endophytic infection and the diversity of fungal species were significantly higher in the spring. The frequencies of all dominant species at one of the sites depended significantly on the season, except for C. quercina, Acremonium sclerotigenum (F & V Moreau ex Valenta) Gams. and D. mutila. Cluster analysis of the whole endophytic mycoflora of the sampled trees suggested that the geographical factor affects the endophytic distribution patterns more significantly than the seasonal factor.
Endophytes were isolated from leaves, stems and roots of Dryas octopetala sampled in Switzerland and Spitsbergen. Endophyte assemblages from different sites and at different sampling times were diverse. Seventy-three species were isolated in the four sites examined and 38 had frequencies of more than 10% in at least one sample. Samples from the subalpine region were generally richer in species than those collected in the alpine or Arctic regions. Leaves tended to host more endophyte taxa than twigs or roots.
Gelasinospora is a genus closely related to Sordaria, characterized by the foveolate sculpturing of the spore wall. At present it contains two species, as follows:—I. Gelasinospora tetrasperma, a coprophilous fungus which has been cultivated from spores collected in Manitoba and in Ontario.The species is described, together with illustrations of the chief characters, such as the four-spored condition of the ascus and the thickened ring bordering its apical perforation.Each normal-sized spore gives rise to a homothallic mycelium. The normal spore contains four nuclei. Asci very occasionally produce dwarf spores. Each dwarf spore gives rise to a mycelium which produces archicarps, but no perithecia. The mycelia from dwarf spores fall into two groups, (+) and (−), in regard to their sexual behavior. When (+) and (−) mycelia are paired, perithecia are produced. Sometimes asci contain giant spores. The giant spores usually produce homothallic mycelia and the spores usually contain six nuclei.II. Gelasinospora cerealis, isolated from the crown of wheat and oats in Manitoba.The species is described, together with illustrations of the chief characters, such as the eight-spored condition of the ascus and the two radial thickenings at its apical perforation.Each spore gives rise to a homothallic mycelium. The spores are binucleate.
Sobre la base de la importancia adquirida a escala mundial por las invasiones de plantas vasculares alóctonas en las estrategias de conservación de la biodiversidad, se presenta la lista preliminar de especies vegetales exóticas invasoras en las islas Canarias, de manera análoga a la ya publicada en esta misma revista para los territorios peninsulares e islas Baleares. La presente lista ha sido estructurada en tres partes. La primera incluye aquellos táxones con claro comportamiento invasor (47 especies), la segunda alcanza a aquéllos con comportamiento invasor incipiente (68 especies) y la tercera se refiere a táxones invasores en otras regiones insulares con condiciones ambientales parecidas, algunos de ellos incluso presentes ya en Canarias, que podrían resultar potencialmente peligrosos (37 especies). Gives the following importance that invasions of alien vascular plants are acquiring worldwide in the biodiversity conservation strategies, we present the checklist of invasive alien plants in Canary islands (Spain), similar to that already published in Lazaroa 22 for the spanish peninsular territory and Balearic islands. The checklist is structured in three series covering plants with evident invasive behaviour (47 species), those showing invasive behaviour that is incipient or restricted to low-value ecosystems (68 species) and those presenting invasive behaviour in another temperate and tropical insular regions (37 species). The last are included by way of prevention.
Endophytic microorganisms are to be found in virtually every plant on earth. These organisms reside in the living tissues of the host plant and do so in a variety of relationships, ranging from symbiotic to slightly pathogenic. Because of what appears to be their contribution to the host plant, the endophytes may produce a plethora of substances of potential use to modern medicine, agriculture, and industry. Novel antibiotics, antimycotics, immunosuppressants, and anticancer compounds are only a few examples of what has been found after the isolation, culture, purification, and characterization of some choice endophytes in the recent past. The potential prospects of finding new drugs that may be effective candidates for treating newly developing diseases in humans, plants, and animals are great.
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