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Navine AK, Paxton KL, Paxton EH, Hart PJ, Foster JT, McInerney N, Fleischer RC, Videvall E. Microbiomes associated with avian malaria survival differ between susceptible Hawaiian honeycreepers and sympatric malaria-resistant introduced birds. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:6659-6670. [PMID: 36281504 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Of the estimated 55 Hawaiian honeycreepers (subfamily Carduelinae) only 17 species remain, nine of which the International Union for Conservation of Nature considers endangered. Among the most pressing threats to honeycreeper survival is avian malaria, caused by the introduced blood parasite Plasmodium relictum, which is increasing in distribution in Hawai'i as a result of climate change. Preventing further honeycreeper decline will require innovative conservation strategies that confront malaria from multiple angles. Research on mammals has revealed strong connections between gut microbiome composition and malaria susceptibility, illuminating a potential novel approach to malaria control through the manipulation of gut microbiota. One honeycreeper species, Hawai'i 'amakihi (Chlorodrepanis virens), persists in areas of high malaria prevalence, indicating they have acquired some level of immunity. To investigate if avian host-specific microbes may be associated with malaria survival, we characterized cloacal microbiomes and malaria infection for 174 'amakihi and 172 malaria-resistant warbling white-eyes (Zosterops japonicus) from Hawai'i Island using 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Neither microbial alpha nor beta diversity covaried with infection, but 149 microbes showed positive associations with malaria survivors. Among these were Escherichia and Lactobacillus spp., which appear to mitigate malaria severity in mammalian hosts, revealing promising candidates for future probiotic research for augmenting malaria immunity in sensitive endangered species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda K Navine
- Biology Department, University of Hawai'i at Hilo, Hilo, Hawaii, USA
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Kristina L Paxton
- Hawai'i Cooperative Studies Unit, University of Hawai'i at Hilo, Hawai'i National Park, Hawaii, USA
| | - Eben H Paxton
- U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center, Hawai'i National Park, Hawaii, USA
| | - Patrick J Hart
- Biology Department, University of Hawai'i at Hilo, Hilo, Hawaii, USA
| | - Jeffrey T Foster
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | - Nancy McInerney
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Robert C Fleischer
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Elin Videvall
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Institute at Brown for Environment and Society, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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Zou Y, Zhong Y, Yu H, Pokharel SS, Fang W, Chen F. Impacts of Ecological Shading by Roadside Trees on Tea Foliar Nutritional and Bioactive Components, Community Diversity of Insects and Soil Microbes in Tea Plantation. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11121800. [PMID: 36552309 PMCID: PMC9775167 DOI: 10.3390/biology11121800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Roadside trees not only add aesthetic appeal to tea plantations, but also serve important ecological purposes for the shaded tea plants. In this study, we selected tea orchards with two access roads, from east to west (EW-road) and from south to north (SN-road), and the roadside trees formed three types of ecological shading of the adjoining tea plants; i.e., south shading (SS) by the roadside trees on the EW-road, and east shading and west shading (ES and WS) by the roadside trees on the SN-road. We studied the impacts of ecological shading by roadside trees on the tea plants, insects, and soil microbes in the tea plantation, by measuring the contents of soluble nutrients, bioactive compounds in the tea, and tea quality indices; and by investigating the population occurrence of key species of insects and calculating insect community indexes, while simultaneously assaying the soil microbiome. The results vividly demonstrated that the shading formed by roadside tree lines on the surrounding tea plantation (SS, ES, and WS) had adverse effects on the concentration of tea soluble sugars but enhanced the foliar contents of bioactive components and improved the overall tea quality, in contrast to the no-shading control tea plants. In addition, the roadside tree lines seemed to be beneficial for the tea plantation, as they reduced pest occurrence, and ES shading enhanced the microbial soil diversity in the rhizosphere of the tea plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zou
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yanni Zhong
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Han Yu
- Department of Forest Genetics and Breeding, College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Sabin Saurav Pokharel
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Wanping Fang
- Department of Tea Science, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Correspondence: (W.F.); (F.C.); Tel.: +86-13512504245 (W.F.); +86-13675173286 (F.C.)
| | - Fajun Chen
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Correspondence: (W.F.); (F.C.); Tel.: +86-13512504245 (W.F.); +86-13675173286 (F.C.)
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Mvondo EA, Danièle Ndo EG, Nomo LB, Ambang Z, Manga FB, Cilas C. Tree diversity and shade rate in complex cocoa-based agroforests affect citrus foot rot disease. Basic Appl Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2022.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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Zarza E, López-Pastrana A, Damon A, Guillén-Navarro K, García-Fajardo LV. Fungal diversity in shade-coffee plantations in Soconusco, Mexico. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13610. [PMID: 35789660 PMCID: PMC9250310 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background As forested natural habitats disappear in the world, traditional, shade-coffee plantations offer an opportunity to conserve biodiversity and ecosystem services. Traditional coffee plantations maintain a diversity of tree species that provide shade for coffee bushes and, at the same time, are important repositories for plants and animals that inhabited the original cloud forest. However, there is still little information about shade-coffee plantation's fungal diversity despite their relevance for ecosystem functioning as decomposers, symbionts and pathogens. Specifically, it is unknown if and what mycorrhizae-forming fungi can be found on the branches and trunks of coffee bushes and trees, which hold a diversity of epiphytes. Here, we evaluate fungal communities on specific plant microsites on both coffee bushes and shade trees. We investigate the ecological roles played by this diversity, with a special focus on mycorrhizae-forming fungi that may enable the establishment and development of epiphytic plants. Methods We collected 48 bark samples from coffee bushes and shade trees (coffee; tree), from four plant microsites (upper and lower trunks, branches and twigs), in two shade-coffee plantations in the Soconusco region in southern Mexico, at different altitudes. We obtained ITS amplicon sequences that served to estimate alpha and beta diversity, to assign taxonomy and to infer the potential ecological role played by the detected taxa. Results The bark of shade trees and coffee bushes supported high fungal diversity (3,783 amplicon sequence variants). There were no strong associations between community species richness and collection site, plant type or microsite. However, we detected differences in beta diversity between collection sites. All trophic modes defined by FUNGuild database were represented in both plant types. However, when looking into guilds that involve mycorrhizae formation, the CLAM test suggests that coffee bushes are more likely to host taxa that may function as mycorrhizae. Discussion We detected high fungal diversity in shade-coffee plantations in Soconusco, Chiapas, possibly remnants of the original cloud forest ecosystem. Several mycorrhiza forming fungi guilds occur on the bark of coffee bushes and shade trees in this agroecosystem, with the potential of supporting epiphyte establishment and development. Thus, traditional coffee cultivation could be part of an integrated strategy for restoration and conservation of epiphytic populations. This is particularly relevant for conservation of threatened species of Orchidaceae that are highly dependent on mycorrhizae formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugenia Zarza
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Sustentabilidad, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico,Investigadora-CONACYT, Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Alejandra López-Pastrana
- Departamento de Conservación de la Biodiversidad, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico
| | - Anne Damon
- Departamento de Conservación de la Biodiversidad, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico
| | - Karina Guillén-Navarro
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Sustentabilidad, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico
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The Threat of Pests and Pathogens and the Potential for Biological Control in Forest Ecosystems. FORESTS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/f12111579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Forests are an essential component of the natural environment, as they support biodiversity, sequester carbon, and play a crucial role in biogeochemical cycles—in addition to producing organic matter that is necessary for the function of terrestrial organisms. Forests today are subject to threats ranging from natural occurrences, such as lightning-ignited fires, storms, and some forms of pollution, to those caused by human beings, such as land-use conversion (deforestation or intensive agriculture). In recent years, threats from pests and pathogens, particularly non-native species, have intensified in forests. The damage, decline, and mortality caused by insects, fungi, pathogens, and combinations of pests can lead to sizable ecological, economic, and social losses. To combat forest pests and pathogens, biocontrol may be an effective alternative to chemical pesticides and fertilizers. This review of forest pests and potential adversaries in the natural world highlights microbial inoculants, as well as research efforts to further develop biological control agents against forest pests and pathogens. Recent studies have shown promising results for the application of microbial inoculants as preventive measures. Other studies suggest that these species have potential as fertilizers.
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De Padua JC, dela Cruz TEE. Isolation and Characterization of Nickel-Tolerant Trichoderma Strains from Marine and Terrestrial Environments. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7080591. [PMID: 34436130 PMCID: PMC8396999 DOI: 10.3390/jof7080591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Nickel contamination is a serious environmental issue that requires immediate action. In this study, 23 strains of Trichoderma were isolated from terrestrial and marine environments and identified using a polyphasic approach of morphological characterization and ITS gene sequence analysis. The Trichoderma strains were tested for their tolerance and biosorption of nickel. Our results showed the growth of all Trichoderma strains on Trichoderma Selective Medium (TSM) with 50–1200-ppm nickel, indicating their tolerance of this heavy metal even at a relatively high concentration. Six Trichoderma strains (three isolated from terrestrial substrates and three from marine substates) had the highest radial growth on TSM with 50-ppm Ni. Among these fungal isolates, Trichoderma asperellum (S03) isolated from soil exhibited the best growth after 2 days of incubation. For the biosorption of nickel, the accumulation or uptake efficiency by the six selected Trichoderma was determined in Potato Dextrose Broth (PDB) supplemented with 50-ppm Ni using a Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). The percent uptake efficiency of the three strains of T. asperellum (S03, S08, and LL14) was computed to be up to 66%, while Trichoderma virens (SG18 and SF22) and Trichoderma inhamatum (MW25) achieved up to 68% uptake efficiency. Observation of the Trichoderma strains with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) before and after the absorption of nickel showed very minimal damage on the hyphal and conidial surface morphology, but changes in the colonial characteristics were observed. Our study highlighted the potential of terrestrial and marine strains of Trichoderma for the bioremediation of nickel pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jewel C. De Padua
- The Graduate School, University of Santo Tomas, España Blvd., Manila 1008, Philippines;
- Research Center for the Natural and Applied Sciences, Fungal Biodiversity, Ecogenomics and Systematics (FBeS) Group, University of Santo Tomas, España Blvd., Manila 1008, Philippines
| | - Thomas Edison E. dela Cruz
- The Graduate School, University of Santo Tomas, España Blvd., Manila 1008, Philippines;
- Research Center for the Natural and Applied Sciences, Fungal Biodiversity, Ecogenomics and Systematics (FBeS) Group, University of Santo Tomas, España Blvd., Manila 1008, Philippines
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, University of Santo Tomas, España Blvd., Manila 1008, Philippines
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +632-3406-1611 local 8297
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