Mutualistic Ophiostomatoid Fungi Equally Benefit from Both a Bark Beetle Pheromone and Host Tree Volatiles as Nutrient Sources.

Interactions between mutualistic bark beetles and ophiostomatoid fungi have received considerable attention in recent years. Studies have shown how volatile organic compounds emitted from mutualist fungi affect the behaviors of several bark beetle species. However, we currently lack sufficient knowledge regarding whether bark beetle pheromones can influence mutualist fungi. Here, we measured growth and biomass of two mutualistic fungi of the mountain pine beetle in response to headspace of a beetle pheromone (trans-verbenol), a blend of host tree volatiles, the combination of both, or control (no volatile source) in vitro experiments consisting of a nitrogen-based medium. The surface area and ergosterol content of the mycelia were used as surrogates for fungal growth and biomass respectively. We found that both growth and biomass of Grosmannia clavigera and Ophiostoma montium were greater in medium exposed to any type of volatile sources than the control. While growth and ergosterol content of G. clavigera were highest in the combination treatment, there were no differences in growth or biomass among the types of volatiles introduced for O. montium. These results suggest that both mutualistic fungi can utilize both bark beetle pheromone and host tree volatiles as nutrient sources. Overall, these results support the on-going studies on the role of volatile organic compounds mediating mutualistic bark beetle-fungi interactions.

Changes in soil fungal community composition depend on functional group and forest disturbance type.

Disturbances have altered community dynamics in boreal forests with unknown consequences for belowground ecological processes. Soil fungi are particularly sensitive to such disturbances; however, the individual response of fungal guilds to different disturbance types is poorly understood. Here, we profiled soil fungal communities in lodgepole pine forests following a bark beetle outbreak, wildfire, clear-cut logging, and salvage-logging. Using Illumina MiSeq to sequence ITS1 and SSU rDNA, we characterized communities of ectomycorrhizal, arbuscular mycorrhizal, saprotrophic, and pathogenic fungi in sites representing each disturbance type paired with intact forests. We also quantified soil fungal biomass by measuring ergosterol. Abiotic disturbances changed the community composition of ectomycorrhizal fungi and shifted the dominance from ectomycorrhizal to saprotrophic fungi compared to intact forests. The disruption of the soil organic layer with disturbances correlated with the decline of ectomycorrhizal and the increase of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Wildfire changed the community composition of pathogenic fungi but did not affect their proportion and diversity. Fungal biomass declined with disturbances that disrupted the forest floor. Our results suggest that the disruption of the forest floor with disturbances, and the changes in C and nutrient dynamics it may promote, structure the fungal community with implications for fungal biomass-C.

Spatial characteristics of volatile communication in lodgepole pine trees: Evidence of kin recognition and intra-species support.

Plant interactions using volatile organic compounds, particularly in the context of kin recognition have received considerable attention in recent years, but several discrepancies and conflicting results have restricted our understanding. We propose that some of these discrepancies in literature are in part due to integral spatial characteristics of sites, and plant attributes. Chemotypic plasticity is commonly used to characterize kin, particularly in conifers. We studied constitutive and induced monoterpene chemotypes of non-attacked lodgepole pine trees within 30 m radii of pine trees attacked by mountain pine beetle. We tested the effects of volatile compounds emitted from the attacked trees on the non-attacked trees by challenge inoculations with a mountain pine beetle associated fungus. We found no relationship between constitutive monoterpene concentrations of the non-attacked trees and distance or direction from the attacked trees or site aspects. In contrast, the effects of volatile compounds were evident after inoculations, depending on distance from the attacked trees and site aspects. However, these interactions only emerged among chemotypically related trees. These results suggest that plants discriminate between chemical cues from kin and strangers, and the emitters likely aid only chemotypically related plants by emitting specific blends of volatiles that can only be deciphered by the receiving kin. These results further demonstrate the importance of incorporating spatial characteristics of sites and plant attributes in studies aimed at investigating intra-species interactions using volatile organic compounds.