Diverse Xylaria in the Ecuadorian Amazon and their mode of wood degradation
Abstract Background Xylaria is a diverse and ecologically important genus in the Ascomycota. This paper describes the xylariaceous fungi present in an Ecuadorian Amazon Rainforest and investigates the decay potential of selected Xylaria species. Fungi were collected at Yasuní National Park, Ecuador...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2023-10-01
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| Series: | Botanical Studies |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40529-023-00403-x |
| _version_ | 1827723883662278656 |
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| author | Nickolas N. Rajtar Joshua C. Kielsmeier-Cook Benjamin W. Held Cristina E. Toapanta-Alban Maria E. Ordonez Charles W. Barnes Robert A. Blanchette |
| author_facet | Nickolas N. Rajtar Joshua C. Kielsmeier-Cook Benjamin W. Held Cristina E. Toapanta-Alban Maria E. Ordonez Charles W. Barnes Robert A. Blanchette |
| author_sort | Nickolas N. Rajtar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Xylaria is a diverse and ecologically important genus in the Ascomycota. This paper describes the xylariaceous fungi present in an Ecuadorian Amazon Rainforest and investigates the decay potential of selected Xylaria species. Fungi were collected at Yasuní National Park, Ecuador during two collection trips to a single hectare plot divided into a 10-m by 10-m grid, providing 121 collection points. All Xylaria fruiting bodies found within a 1.2-m radius of each grid point were collected. Dried fruiting bodies were used for culturing and the internal transcribed spacer region was sequenced to identify Xylaria samples to species level. Agar microcosms were used to assess the decay potential of three selected species, two unknown species referred to as Xylaria 1 and Xylaria 2 and Xylaria curta, on four different types of wood from trees growing in Ecuador including balsa (Ochroma pyramidale), melina (Gmelina arborea), saman (Samanea saman), and moral (Chlorophora tinctoria). ANOVA and post-hoc comparisons were used to test for differences in biomass lost between wood blocks inoculated with Xylaria and uninoculated control blocks. Scanning electron micrographs of transverse sections of each wood and assay fungus were used to assess the type of degradation present. Results 210 Xylaria collections were sequenced, with 106 collections belonging to 60 taxa that were unknown species, all with less than 97% match to NCBI reference sequences. Xylaria with sequence matches of 97% or greater included X. aff. comosa (28 isolates), X. cuneata (9 isolates) X. curta and X. oligotoma (7 isolates), and X. apiculta (6 isolates)., All Xylaria species tested were able to cause type 1 or type 2 soft rot degradation in the four wood types and significant biomass loss was observed compared to the uninoculated controls. Balsa and melina woods had the greatest amount of biomass loss, with as much as 60% and 25% lost, respectively, compared to the controls. Conclusions Xylaria species were found in extraordinary abundance in the Ecuadorian rainforest studied. Our study demonstrated that the Xylaria species tested can cause a soft rot type of wood decay and with the significant amount of biomass loss that occurred within a short incubation time, it indicates these fungi likely play a significant role in nutrient cycling in the Amazonian rainforest. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:06:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-049ea9b7f26740c1afe090feb2da8693 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-3110 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:06:58Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Botanical Studies |
| spelling | doaj.art-049ea9b7f26740c1afe090feb2da86932023-11-19T12:46:08ZengSpringerOpenBotanical Studies1999-31102023-10-0164111210.1186/s40529-023-00403-xDiverse Xylaria in the Ecuadorian Amazon and their mode of wood degradationNickolas N. Rajtar0Joshua C. Kielsmeier-Cook1Benjamin W. Held2Cristina E. Toapanta-Alban3Maria E. Ordonez4Charles W. Barnes5Robert A. Blanchette6Department of Plant Pathology, University of MinnesotaDepartment of Plant Pathology, University of MinnesotaDepartment of Plant Pathology, University of MinnesotaDepartment of Plant Pathology, University of MinnesotaQCAM Fungarium, Pontificia Universidad Católica del EcuadorForest Health Protection-Region 5, USDA Forest ServiceDepartment of Plant Pathology, University of MinnesotaAbstract Background Xylaria is a diverse and ecologically important genus in the Ascomycota. This paper describes the xylariaceous fungi present in an Ecuadorian Amazon Rainforest and investigates the decay potential of selected Xylaria species. Fungi were collected at Yasuní National Park, Ecuador during two collection trips to a single hectare plot divided into a 10-m by 10-m grid, providing 121 collection points. All Xylaria fruiting bodies found within a 1.2-m radius of each grid point were collected. Dried fruiting bodies were used for culturing and the internal transcribed spacer region was sequenced to identify Xylaria samples to species level. Agar microcosms were used to assess the decay potential of three selected species, two unknown species referred to as Xylaria 1 and Xylaria 2 and Xylaria curta, on four different types of wood from trees growing in Ecuador including balsa (Ochroma pyramidale), melina (Gmelina arborea), saman (Samanea saman), and moral (Chlorophora tinctoria). ANOVA and post-hoc comparisons were used to test for differences in biomass lost between wood blocks inoculated with Xylaria and uninoculated control blocks. Scanning electron micrographs of transverse sections of each wood and assay fungus were used to assess the type of degradation present. Results 210 Xylaria collections were sequenced, with 106 collections belonging to 60 taxa that were unknown species, all with less than 97% match to NCBI reference sequences. Xylaria with sequence matches of 97% or greater included X. aff. comosa (28 isolates), X. cuneata (9 isolates) X. curta and X. oligotoma (7 isolates), and X. apiculta (6 isolates)., All Xylaria species tested were able to cause type 1 or type 2 soft rot degradation in the four wood types and significant biomass loss was observed compared to the uninoculated controls. Balsa and melina woods had the greatest amount of biomass loss, with as much as 60% and 25% lost, respectively, compared to the controls. Conclusions Xylaria species were found in extraordinary abundance in the Ecuadorian rainforest studied. Our study demonstrated that the Xylaria species tested can cause a soft rot type of wood decay and with the significant amount of biomass loss that occurred within a short incubation time, it indicates these fungi likely play a significant role in nutrient cycling in the Amazonian rainforest.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40529-023-00403-xXylarialesEcuadorFungiWood decayTropical rainforest |
| spellingShingle | Nickolas N. Rajtar Joshua C. Kielsmeier-Cook Benjamin W. Held Cristina E. Toapanta-Alban Maria E. Ordonez Charles W. Barnes Robert A. Blanchette Diverse Xylaria in the Ecuadorian Amazon and their mode of wood degradation Botanical Studies Xylariales Ecuador Fungi Wood decay Tropical rainforest |
| title | Diverse Xylaria in the Ecuadorian Amazon and their mode of wood degradation |
| title_full | Diverse Xylaria in the Ecuadorian Amazon and their mode of wood degradation |
| title_fullStr | Diverse Xylaria in the Ecuadorian Amazon and their mode of wood degradation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Diverse Xylaria in the Ecuadorian Amazon and their mode of wood degradation |
| title_short | Diverse Xylaria in the Ecuadorian Amazon and their mode of wood degradation |
| title_sort | diverse xylaria in the ecuadorian amazon and their mode of wood degradation |
| topic | Xylariales Ecuador Fungi Wood decay Tropical rainforest |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40529-023-00403-x |
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