Journal Article

Molecular Characterization of Coprophilous Fungal Communities Reveals Sequences Related to Root-Associated Fungal Endophytes

Khidir, Hana H., Herrera, José, Poudel, Ravin

2011

Overview

This paper reports the use of molecular methods to characterize the coprophilous fungal communities (CFC) that inhabit the dung of four species of mammalian herbivores at two sites, Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge (SNWR) in New Mexico and Wind Cave National Park (WCNP) in South Dakota. Results reveal that CFC from domesticated cattle (Bos taurus) at SNWR, and bison (Bison bison) and black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) at WCNP were diverse but dominated primarily by members within eight taxonomic orders, including the rarely cultured and anaerobic order Neocallimastigales. In addition, 7.7% (138 of 1,788) of the sequences obtained from all dung samples were at least 97% similar to root-associated fungal (RAF) sequences previously described from blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis), a common forage grass found throughout North America and growing at both study sites. In contrast, 95.8% (295 of 308) of the sequences and four of the total seven operational taxonomic units obtained from pronghorn antelope (Antilocapra americana) dung belonged to the Pleosporalean order. We hypothesize that some herbivore vectors disperse non-systemic (non-clavicipitaceous) fungal endophytes. These dispersal events, it is argued, are most likely to occur via herbivores that occasionally forage and masticate root tissue, especially in arid regions where aboveground vegetation is sparse. The results of this study suggest that some (possibly many) members of the RAF community can expand their ecological role to include colonizing dung.

• Publisher: New York : Springer-Verlag,Springer Science + Business Media,Springer-Verlag,Springer,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Animals / antelopes / Antelopes - microbiology / Antilocapra americana / Arid regions / Arid zones / Biodiversity / Biological and medical sciences / Biological taxonomies / Biomedical and Life Sciences / Bison / Bison - microbiology / Bison bison bison / Bos taurus / Bouteloua gracilis / Buffalo / cattle / Cattle - microbiology / Chlorofluorocarbons / classification / Cynomys ludovicianus / DNA, Fungal / DNA, Fungal - genetics / Dogs / Dung / Ecology / Endophytes / Endosymbionts / Feces / Feces - microbiology / Forage / forage grasses / Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology / fungal communities / Fungi / Fungi - classification / Fungi - genetics / genetics / Geoecology/Natural Processes / Grasses / Herbivores / Life Sciences / Microbial Ecology / Microbiology / National parks / Nature Conservation / Neocallimastigales / New Mexico / NOTES AND SHORT COMMUNICATIONS / Plant Roots / Plant Roots - microbiology / Poaceae / Poaceae - microbiology / Prairies / Sciuridae / Sciuridae - microbiology / South Dakota / Taxonomy / Vectors / vegetation / Water Quality/Water Pollution / Wildlife / Wildlife refuges