1
|
Camenzind T, Weimershaus P, Lehmann A, Aguilar-Trigueros C, Rillig MC. Soil fungi invest into asexual sporulation under resource scarcity, but trait spaces of individual isolates are unique. Environ Microbiol 2022; 24:2962-2978. [PMID: 35437880 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
During the last few decades, a plethora of sequencing studies provided insight into fungal community composition under various environmental conditions. Still, the mechanisms of species assembly and fungal spread in soil remains largely unknown. While mycelial growth patterns are studied extensively, the abundant formation of asexual spores is often overlooked, though representing a substantial part of the fungal life cycle relevant for survival and dispersal. Here we explore asexual sporulation (spore abundance, size and shape) in 32 co-occurring soil fungal isolates under varying resource conditions, to answer the question whether resource limitation triggers or inhibits fungal investment into reproduction. We further hypothesized that trade-offs exist in fungal investment towards growth, spore production and size. The results revealed overall increased fungal investment into spore production under resource limitations; however, effect sizes and response types varied strongly among fungal isolates. Such isolate-specific effects were apparent in all measured traits, resulting in unique trait spaces of individual isolates. This comprehensive dataset also elucidated variability in sporulation strategies and trade-offs with fungal growth and reproduction under resource scarcity, as only predicted by theoretical models before. The observed isolate-specific strategies likely underpin mechanisms of co-existence in this diverse group of saprobic soil fungi. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tessa Camenzind
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany.,Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Paul Weimershaus
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany.,Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Anika Lehmann
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany.,Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Carlos Aguilar-Trigueros
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany.,Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Matthias C Rillig
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany.,Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), 14195, Berlin, Germany
| |
Collapse
|