Species distribution, phylogenetic structure and functional roles of detritus inhabiting fungi across contrasting aquatic environments
type: CreativeWork
description: Freshwater fungi play a key role in plant debris decomposition, are pivotal in transferring energy and nutrients to higher trophic levels, and are essential for removing toxic heavy metals and degrading xenobiotics. In light of global climate change, habitat loss, and water pollution, it has become increasingly important to examine this understudied group of fungi. Using both culture-dependent and culture-independent techniques, I examined how habitat, geography, and phylogeny influence the structure of detritus-inhabiting fungal communities within temperate peatland and alkaline stream habitats. In addition, this research utilized traditional agar-based assays, fluorometric assays, and sequence-based methods to: 1) link community function to individual species/isolates, 2) determine functionally redundancy at the class and isolate level, 3) determine the functional magnitude of individual isolates and 4) determine if function and functional magnitude are pH-dependent. Samples of fine submerged detritus or substrate on or beneath the stream bed from six sites, four in Pennsylvania and two in Wisconsin, were collected in May, July/August, and November in 2014 for two sites and 2016 for four sites. Culture-independent analyses were conducted on 42 environmental samples collected in November 2016. Statistical analyses were conducted at the community and class level for the nine dominant fungal classes within these habitats. Functional roles were assigned using FUNGuild, agar-based assays and fluorescence assays. Alpha-diversity results indicated that stream habitats were more species rich, both in number of species and phylogenetic diversity, as compared to peatland habitats and beta-diversity analyses indicted that peatland communities were distinct from stream communities suggesting local variation and habitat as the main factors. Phylogenetic clustering within the major Ascomycota and Basidiomycota classes were prevalent within peatland habitats, while, phylogenetic…
abstract: Freshwater fungi play a key role in plant debris decomposition, are pivotal in transferring energy and nutrients to higher trophic levels, and are essential for removing toxic heavy metals and degrading xenobiotics. In light of global climate change, habitat loss, and water pollution, it has become increasingly important to examine this understudied group of fungi. Using both culture-dependent and culture-independent techniques, I examined how habitat, geography, and phylogeny influence the structure of detritus-inhabiting fungal communities within temperate peatland and alkaline stream habitats. In addition, this research utilized traditional agar-based assays, fluorometric assays, and sequence-based methods to: 1) link community function to individual species/isolates, 2) determine functionally redundancy at the class and isolate level, 3) determine the functional magnitude of individual isolates and 4) determine if function and functional magnitude are pH-dependent. Samples of fine submerged detritus or substrate on or beneath the stream bed from six sites, four in Pennsylvania and two in Wisconsin, were collected in May, July/August, and November in 2014 for two sites and 2016 for four sites. Culture-independent analyses were conducted on 42 environmental samples collected in November 2016. Statistical analyses were conducted at the community and class level for the nine dominant fungal classes within these habitats. Functional roles were assigned using FUNGuild, agar-based assays and fluorescence assays. Alpha-diversity results indicated that stream habitats were more species rich, both in number of species and phylogenetic diversity, as compared to peatland habitats and beta-diversity analyses indicted that peatland communities were distinct from stream communities suggesting local variation and habitat as the main factors. Phylogenetic clustering within the major Ascomycota and Basidiomycota classes were prevalent within peatland habitats, while, phylogenetic…
author: Raudabaugh, Daniel Bruce
language: en
keywords: taxonomy, physiology
date published: 2019-11-26T20:49:18Z
date modified: 2026-07-22T22:24:45Z
provider: University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: http://hdl.handle.net/2142/105773