TY - JOUR T1 - Tree genetics defines fungal partner communities that may confer drought tolerance. JF - PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES Y1 - 2017 A1 - Gehring, C.A. A1 - Sthultz, C.M. A1 - Flores-Rentería, L. A1 - A.V. Whipple A1 - T.G. Whitham AB -

Plant genetic variation and soil microorganisms are individually known to influence plant responses to climate change, but the interactive effects of these two factors are largely unknown. Using long-term observational studies in the field and common garden and greenhouse experiments of a foundation tree species (Pinus edulis) and its mutualistic ectomycorrhizal fungal (EMF) associates, we show that EMF community composition is under strong plant genetic control. Seedlings acquire the EMF community of their seed source trees (drought tolerant vs. drought intolerant), even when exposed to inoculum from the alternate tree type. Drought-tolerant trees had 25% higher growth and a third the mortality of drought-intolerant trees over the course of 10 y of drought in the wild, traits that were also observed in their seedlings in a common garden. Inoculation experiments show that EMF communities are critical to drought tolerance. Drought-tolerant and drought-intolerant seedlings grew similarly when provided sterile EMF inoculum, but drought-tolerant seedlings grew 25% larger than drought-intolerant seedlings under dry conditions when each seedling type developed its distinct EMF community. This demonstration that particular combinations of plant genotype and mutualistic EMF communities improve the survival and growth of trees with drought is especially important, given the vulnerability of forests around the world to the warming and drying conditions predicted for the future.

VL - 114 UR - https://www.pnas.org/content/114/42/11169 IS - 42 ER - TY - JOUR T1 - Plant genetics and interspecific competitive interactions determine ectomycorrhizal fungal community responses to climate change . JF - Molecular Ecology Y1 - 2013 A1 - CA Gehring A1 - Flores-Rentería,D A1 - CM Sthultz A1 - Leonard,TM A1 - L Flores-Renteria A1 - AV Whipple A1 - TG Whitham VL - 23 N1 - [Original String]:Gehring CA, Flores-Rentería D, Sthultz CM, Leonard TM, Flores-Rentería L, Whipple AV, Whitham TG. 2013. Plant genetics and interspecific competitive interactions determine ectomycorrhizal fungal community responses to climate change . Molecular Ecology 23:1379-1391. ER - TY - JOUR T1 - Genetically based susceptibility to herbivory influences the ectomycorrhizal fungal communities of a foundation tree species. JF - The New phytologist Y1 - 2009 A1 - Sthultz,Christopher M A1 - Whitham,Thomas G A1 - Kennedy,Karla A1 - Deckert,Ron A1 - Gehring,Catherine A KW - Animals KW - DNA, Fungal KW - Ecosystem KW - Host-Pathogen Interactions KW - Models, Biological KW - Moths KW - Mycorrhizae KW - Pinus KW - Symbiosis AB -

Although recent research indicates that herbivores interact with plant-associated microbes in complex ways, few studies have examined these interactions using a community approach. For example, the impact of herbivory on the community structure of ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) is not well known. The influence of host plant genetics on EMF community composition is also poorly understood. We used a study system in which susceptibility to herbivory has a genetic basis and a 20-yr insect removal experiment to examine the influence of chronic herbivory and plant genetics on the EMF community structure of Pinus edulis. We compared EMF communities of herbivore resistant trees, herbivore susceptible trees and herbivore susceptible trees from which herbivores were experimentally removed at two dates 10 yr apart. In both years sampled, resistant and susceptible trees differed significantly in EMF community composition. After 10 yr and 20 yr of herbivore removal, the EMF communities of removal trees were similar to those of susceptible trees, but different from resistant trees. The EMF community composition was more strongly influenced by innate genetic differences in plant traits associated with resistance and susceptibility to herbivory than by indirect effects of herbivory on host plant relationships with ectomycorrhizal fungi.

VL - 184 SN - 0028-646X UR - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&DbFrom=pubmed&Cmd=Link&LinkName=pubmed_pubmed&LinkReadableName=Related%20Articles&IdsFromResult=19761493&ordinalpos=3&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSumhttp://www.ncbi. IS - 3 ER -