MERG - Universitetet i Oslo

MERG
Microbial ecology of mycorrhizal symbiosis
Objectives of the project
• A main focus will be to analyze which factors that determine and influence on the structure and
composition of the ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungal community in the Bistorta vivipara root system.
• Using experimental and empirical approaches, we want to analyze the effects of factors like host
genotype (ecotype) and variation in environmental conditions on the ECM community and how the
ECM community changes during a primary successional process.
• Furthermore, we want to analyze the effects of various biotic interactions (like the occurrence of
various bacteria) on the ECM community of B. vivipara.
• Another main task will be to evaluate the temporal and spatial variation in the ECM fungal community
associated with B. vivipara.
A
Project summary
The community ecology of root associated fungi will be studied using the perennial plant Bistorta
vivipara as a ‘model system’. As one of few herbaceous plants, B. vivipara forms ectomycorrhizal (ECM)
relationships with various fungi. The small and condensed root systems makes B. vivipara an ideal
model organism for ECM community studies since the entire fungal assemblage associated with the
roots easily can be analyzed simultaneously using high throughput sequencing technologies. Using B.
vivipara as a model system we will be able to overcome many of the challenges we face when working
with the large root systems of slow-growing cultivated trees. One main focus will be to analyze which
factors that determine and influence on the structure and composition of root-associated fungi of B.
vivipara. We also want to analyze the bacteria associated with the mycorrhizal symbiosis and study the
interplay between the plant host, the fungal symbionts and the associated bacteria. Both observational
field studies and experiments will be conducted. The experiments will involve the establishment of an in
vitro model system, where effects of bacterial and fungal species in the symbiotic relationship will be
tested.
The team
Tor Carlsen (Post Doc), Rakel Blaalid (PhD), Unni Vik (PhD), Fang Yao (MSc-student), Synnøve Botnen
(MSc-student), Rune Heimdal (MSc-student), Håvard Kauserud, Tom Andersen, Klaus Høiland, Trond
Schumacher, Anne-Brit Kolstø (LaMDa), Ole Andreas Løchen Økstad (LaMDa), Anne Brysting (CEES),
Karl I. Ugland (Marine) + external collaborators.
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B
A. Bistorta vivipara B. The small and
condensed root systems makes B.
vivipara an ideal model organism
for ECM community studies
Photo: Unni Vik
Photo: Marie Davey