In today's lecture, we are going to look at the species interactions of America's northeast deciduous forest. As I hike through Zoar Valley, I explain different organisms I encounter and discuss the species interactions they engage in. From mutualism, parasitism, and predation to commensalism, and amensalism we'll look at these patterns and hopefully be able to better understand forest ecology from the perspective of the forest floor.
Read moreNorth American spruce beetles and their fungal symbiote; the uncovering of multiple ecological roles
Fungal-beetle mutualisms go way back, but just because these interactions are ancient, doesn’t mean humans know what these interactions actually behold. A new publication reveals that the species of fungus (Leptographium abietinum) provides its beetle counterpart with not just one, but three fitness-enhancing benefits.
Read moreOverlooked and underappreciated fungal symbiotes; Trichoderma species
Orange filaments in a.) and b.) represent Trichoderma sp. within plant roots. Blue filaments represent fungal pathogens. When invaded by Trichoderma sp. the plant responds by creating cell-wall deposits (black squiggles) which limits Trichoderma and pathogen growth. The first plant in panel c.) represents a healthy, disease resistant plant with Trichoderma sp. present while the second individual represents a disease ridden, less fit plant without the fungal mutualist. Harman et al. 2004.
Like mycorrhizae, Trichoderma sp. do more than just providing their host with nutrients. They offer numerous fitness enhancing services that must not be overlooked. In today’s post I will briefly describe the ecological services provided by Trichoderma sp. and how we are using this group of fungi to enhance our own fitness.
Read moreEvolutionary stability in mycorrhizal endobacteria
Some bacteria make fungal hyphae their home.
Many bacteria live inside other organisms. These endobacteria usually evolve functions that enhance the fitness of their partner. It was once perceived that facultative endobacteria were an intermediate, transitional stage leading to more obligate mutualisms. Contrary to what we once thought, this research shows that not all facultative endobacteria are on route to becoming an obligate mutualist. Instead, these facultative relationships can persist for millions of years, especially when their interactions vary greatly with different environmental conditions.
Read moreNeighboring plants exert strong and counterintuitive effects on ant–plant mutualisms
Ant-plant mutualisms are thoroughly researched, but it is widely unknown just how neighboring 'competitor' plants influence these interactions. A recent publication reveals results that are counterintuitive, showing not only an interesting relationship within these savanna ecosystems, but just how important science is.
Read more