TreeBASE Search-Matrices for study 11907

@ARTICLE{TreeBASE2Ref20031, author = {Amy Jo Powell and Kylea Joy Parchert and Joslyn Bustamante and Bryce Ricken and Miriam I. Hutchinson and Donald Natvig}, title = {Thermophilic fungi in an aridland ecosystem}, year = {2011}, keywords = {thermophilic fungi, fungal ecology, Chaetomiaceae, fungal ecology, biological soil crust, optimal growth temperature, Eurotiales, Sordariales}, doi = {}, url = {http://}, pmid = {}, journal = {Mycologia}, volume = {}, number = {}, pages = {}, abstract = {We report a multi-year study of thermophilic fungi at the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in central New Mexico, home to the University of New Mexico?s Sevilleta Long-Term Ecological Research program. We demonstrate for the first time that propagule numbers for thermophilic fungi in soils show seasonal changes, correlating with spring and summer precipitation peaks. In addition to grassland soils, we obtained isolates from grassland and riparian litter, herbivore dung and biological soil crusts. All strains belonged to either the Eurotiales or Sordariales. No particular substrate or microhabitat associations were detected. Molecular genotyping of strains revealed substantial phylogenetic diversity; eight ad hoc phylogroups across the two orders were identified, and genetic diversity was present within each phylogroup. Growth tests over a range of temperatures showed substantial diversity in maximum growth rates among strains and across phylogroups, but consistency within phylogroups. Results demonstrated that 45-50 C represents the optimal temperature for metabolism, growth and development of most isolates, with a dramatic decline at 60 C. Most strains grew at 60 C, albeit slowly, providing empirical confirmation that 60 C presents a special evolutionary threshold for fungal growth. Taken as a whole, our results support the hypothesis that fungal thermophily is an adaptation to transient seasonal and diurnal high temperatures, rather than simply an adaptation to specialized high-temperature environments. We note that the diversity observed among strains and the frequently confused taxonomy within these groups highlight the need for comprehensive biosystematic revision of thermophilic taxa in both orders. } }