A Comparing the Ectomycorrhizal Fungal Communities of three Pinus Species on California's Far North Coast

This master's project investigates the communities of ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi associated with three pine species occurring in coastal Humboldt and Mendocino Counties: Bishop pine (Pinus muricata), shore pine (Pinus contorta subsp contorta), and Monterey pine (Pinus radiata). Now in its culmination phase, this research has revealed variation in ECM fungal community composition among the three pine species, and quantified the influences of host species, native range overlap, and geographic distance on the community of ECM fungi present. Additionally, edaphic soils variables across all sites were correlated with patterns in ECM fungal diversity and species richness. From an ecological perspective, this project has identified keystone fungal symbionts that may have not been previously inventoried, and elucidate the flexibility of the ECM fungi that participate in symbiotic mutualisms. Ectomycorrhizal fungi are critical components of pinaceous forests, by quantifying the communities of ECM fungi across different pine tree hosts I hope to highlight the importance of biodiversity and the factors influencing the occurrence of fungal symbionts.

Speaker: Monkia Richardson, Cal Poly Humbold

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