Invasive Buffelgrass and Its Fungal Associates
Author Information
Author(s): Elizabeth A. Bowman, Christine V. Hawkes, Nathan Jones, Robert M. Plowes, Dino J. Martins, Lawrence E. Gilbert
Primary Institution: University of Texas at Austin
Hypothesis
Does invasive Cenchrus ciliaris host similar groups of fungi in its native and introduced ranges?
Conclusion
Invasive C. ciliaris acquires most of its foliar fungi opportunistically in its introduced range, with only a small number of fungal taxa being co-introduced.
Supporting Evidence
- Fungal communities in the introduced range contained a higher proportion of generalist symbionts.
- Only 3.2% of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were shared between native and introduced ranges.
- Host phylogenetic distance explained more variation in fungal community composition than native status.
Takeaway
Buffelgrass, an invasive plant, gets most of its fungi from the new places it grows, rather than bringing them from where it originally came from.
Methodology
The study involved sampling leaf tissue from C. ciliaris in both its native range (Kenya) and introduced range (Texas and Arizona) to analyze the diversity of associated foliar fungi.
Potential Biases
Potential bias in sampling methods and the ecological context of the introduced range.
Limitations
The study did not assess initial invasion patterns and focused on established non-native populations.
Participant Demographics
Samples were collected from various sites in Kenya and the United States, including both native and non-native grass species.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.0430
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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