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Individual Highlight

Temperate and Boreal Fungi Less Sensitive to Climate Change than Tropical Fungi

Photo of Forest Service scientist D. Jean Lodge (left) and collaborator Urmas Koljalg from Estonia after collecting soil near a large tropical tree that forms beneficial root associations with mushroom and other basidiomycete fungi in the El Verde Research Area of the Luquillo Experimental Forest, Puerto Rico. Urmas Koljalg, Natural History Museum of Tartu, Tartu, EstoniaForest Service scientist D. Jean Lodge (left) and collaborator Urmas Koljalg from Estonia after collecting soil near a large tropical tree that forms beneficial root associations with mushroom and other basidiomycete fungi in the El Verde Research Area of the Luquillo Experimental Forest, Puerto Rico. Urmas Koljalg, Natural History Museum of Tartu, Tartu, EstoniaSnapshot : Beneficial fungi that help tree roots obtain nutrients from soil are less sensitive to climate in temperate and boreal forests than in tropical forests, but the same is true for root pathogens.

Principal Investigators(s) :
Lodge, D. Jean 
Research Location : Luquillo Experimental Forest in Puerto Rico, and forests around the world.
Research Station : Forest Products Laboratory (FPL)
Year : 2015
Highlight ID : 891

Summary

Forest Service research showed that soil fungi,including tree pathogens and beneficial root symbionts, from low latitudes are more sensitive to climate than those from high latitudes. This analysis has implications for control of invasive pathogenic fungi from the tropics and resilience of North American forests to climate change. These data suggest that tropical invasive fungal pathogens may not tolerate temperature swings typically found in temperate forests, which may limit their expansion as overall temperatures increase. It also suggests that fungi that form beneficial symbioses with roots in North American forests may be resilient to changes in climate.

Additional Resources

Global diversity and geography of soil fungi(publication)

Forest Service Partners

External Partners

 
  • Alessandro Saitta
  • Alina Greslebin
  • André De Kesel
  • André L Njouonkou
  • Ave Suija
  • Aída M. Vasco-Palacios
  • Cathy Sharp
  • Cherdchai Phosri
  • Chris Dunk
  • David Ratkowsky
  • Eduardo Nouhra
  • Erki Saluveer
  • Eveli Otsing
  • Francis Q. Brearley
  • Franz Buegger
  • Genevieve Gates
  • Gregory Bonito
  • Gwen Grelet
  • Helery Harend
  • Indrek Hiiesalu
  • John Dearnaley
  • Jordan Mayor
  • Jozsef Geml
  • Kaarin Parts
  • Kadri Pärtel
  • Kadri Põldmaa
  • Karin Pritsch
  • Karl-Henrik Larsson
  • Kentaro Hosaka
  • Kessy Abarenkov
  • Leho Tedersoo
  • Liang-dong Guo
  • Luis N Morgado
  • Luis Villarreal Ruiz
  • Luiza Majuakim
  • Marko Peterson
  • Matthew E. Smith
  • Meike Piepenbring
  • Miguel Rosas
  • Mohammad Bahram
  • Nourou S. Yorou
  • Petr Kohout
  • Pham Quang Thu
  • R. Henrik Nilsson
  • Ravi Wijesundera
  • Rein Drenkhan
  • Sandra Abell
  • Sergei Põlme1
  • Sten Anslan
  • Su See Lee
  • Taavi Riit
  • Tan Dang
  • Terry W Henkel
  • Tom W. May
  • Urmas Kõljalg
  • William Dunstan
  • Xin Chen

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