Patterns and processes in endophyte ecology - studies in optimal and extreme habitats of European Beech to reveal the underlying principles
Final Report Abstract
European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) is one of the focal trees in Central European forests. This tree species is a also a characteristic element of the alpine mountain reagions and even forms the timberline at some mountain massives including the "Untersberg" where the studies of this project took place. Observing, interpreting and understanding the probable effects of altitudinal and thus climatic changes on the leaf-inhabiting fungal community (mycobiome) of beech trees was a key element within this DFG-funded research. Although profound interconnections and interactions were discovered between F. sylvatica and its mycobiomes, most early studies excluded molecular data. This means that still very little is known about the fungal body of this tree species.
Publications
- (2016) A cost-effective and efficient strategy for Illumina sequencing of fungal communities: A case study of beech endophytes identified elevation as main explanatory factor for diversity and community composition. Fungal Ecology, 20, 175–185
Siddique, A. B., & Unterseher, M.
(See online at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.funeco.2015.12.009) - (2016) Diversity and composition of the leaf mycobiome of beech (Fagus sylvatica) are affected by local habitat conditions and leaf biochemistry. PLOS ONE, 11(4), e0152878
Unterseher, M., Siddique, A. B., Brachmann, A., & Peršoh, D.
(See online at https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0152878) - (2017) Leaf-inhabiting mycobiomes under different environmental conditions – local habitat conditions, leaf biochemistry and seasonal variations drive fungal community dynamics. Dissertation, 130p.
Siddique, A. B.
- (2017) What do we learn from cultures in the omics age? High-throughput sequencing and cultivation of leafinhabiting endophytes from beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) revealed complementary community composition but similar correlations with local habitat conditions. MycoKeys, 20, 1–16
Siddique, A. B., Khokon, A. M., & Unterseher, M.
(See online at https://doi.org/10.3897/mycokeys.20.11265)
