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Abstract Detail



Symbioses: Plant, Animal, and Microbe Interactions

Elliott, Homer [1], Ballard Jr, Harvey [1].

Ecotonal Study of Functional Guilds of Photobionts and Mycobionts at the Edge of Appalachia.

The Edge of Appalachia is a unique preserve network in Adams County, Ohio administered by The Nature Conservancy in conjunction with the Cincinnati Museum. This preserve network is known as a biodiversity hotspot within Ohio, for example more than half of the plant species found in Ohio can be found within this preserve system. It can be argued that photobionts in concert with their mycobionts may operate as functional guilds in the acquisition of necessary resources in the context of their environment. Some plant families are known to have exceptionally developed relationships as photobionts with mycobionts, to the extent that some members may even cheat the system as mycoheterotrophs. Temperate examples of plant families involved in such functional relationships include the Ericaceae, Gentianaceae and Orchidaceae. These guilds of photobiont and mycobiont combinations may conceptually be thought of as operating on resource acquisition strategies selected for by their environment. Ecotonal gradients provide a framework for observations into the functional mechanisms driving these relationships. The Edge of Appalachia provides an exceptional assemblage of such gradients due in part to its distinctive but representative combination of species and geologic diversity. The poster will explore hypotheses for how such guilds are operating along ecotonal gradients at the Edge of Appalachia based on preliminary data from southeastern Ohio, specifically extracellular enzyme activity and other proxies for ecological functioning in relation to Ericoid/mycobiont presence or absence from acidic forest stands. These principles will be extended to the photobiont/mycobiont guilds at the Edge of Appalachia.

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1 - Ohio University, Environmental & Plant Biology/Molecular & Cellular Bio Program, 315 Porter Hall, Athens, OH, 45701-2979, USA

Keywords:
mycobiont
photobiont
Ericaceae
Orchidaceae
Gentianaceae
Edge of Appalachia
Ohio
ecology
symbioses
plant biology
mycology
ecotone
gradients
functional guilds.

Presentation Type: Poster:Posters for Topics
Session: P
Location: Grand Salon A - D/Riverside Hilton
Date: Monday, July 29th, 2013
Time: 5:30 PM
Number: PSB003
Abstract ID:440
Candidate for Awards:None


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