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Droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) is a method used to detect and quantify nucleic acids even when present in exceptionally low numbers. While it has proven to be valuable for clinical studies, it has failed to be widely adopted for environmental studies but despite some limitations, ddPCR may represent a better option than classical qPCR for environmental samples. Due to the complexity of the chemical and biological composition of environmental samples, protocols tailored to clinical studies are not appropriate, and results are difficult to interpret. We used environmental DNA samples originating from field studies to determine a protocol for environmental samples. Samples included field soils which had been inoculated with the soil fungus Rhizophagus irregularis (environmental positive control), field soils that had not been inoculated and the targeted fungus was not naturally present (environmental negative control), and root samples from both field categories. To control for the effect of soil inhibitors, we also included DNA samples of an organismal control extracted from pure fungal spores (organismal positive control). Finally, we included a no-template control consisting only of the PCR reaction reagents and nuclease free water instead of template DNA. Using original data, we examined which factors contribute to poor resolution in root and soil samples and propose best practices to ensure accuracy and repeatability. Furthermore, we evaluated manual and automatic threshold determination methods and we propose a novel protocol based on multiple controls that is more appropriate for environmental samples.
Vasilis Kokkoris; Eric Vukicevich; Andrew Richards; Corrina Thomsen; Miranda Hart. Challenges Using Droplet Digital PCR for Environmental Samples. Applied Microbiology 2021, 1, 74 -88.
AMA StyleVasilis Kokkoris, Eric Vukicevich, Andrew Richards, Corrina Thomsen, Miranda Hart. Challenges Using Droplet Digital PCR for Environmental Samples. Applied Microbiology. 2021; 1 (1):74-88.
Chicago/Turabian StyleVasilis Kokkoris; Eric Vukicevich; Andrew Richards; Corrina Thomsen; Miranda Hart. 2021. "Challenges Using Droplet Digital PCR for Environmental Samples." Applied Microbiology 1, no. 1: 74-88.
Background Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi associate with most plants and can increase nutrient uptake. As a result, commercial inoculants called “biofertilizers” containing AM fungi have been developed and marketed to increase plant performance. However, successful establishment of these inoculants remains a challenge, and may be negatively impacted by competition with fungi already present (priority effects). Perennial agriculture may be more amenable if inoculants can be successfully established on crops prior to field planting. Methods Here, we inoculate grapevine (Vitis vinifera) with a commercial inoculant in three treatments designed to manipulate the strength and direction of priority effects and quantified the abundance of the fungal strain before and after introduction using droplet digital PCR (ddPCR). Results We found that the introduced strain did not establish in any treatment, even with priority advantage, and inoculated vines did not differ in performance from non-inoculated vines. Fungal abundance was not greater than in pre-inoculation soil samples during any of the five years sampled and may have been impaired by high available phosphorus levels in the soil. This study highlights the need to understand and evaluate how the management of the agricultural system will affect establishment before introduction of “biofertilizers”, which is often unpredictable.
Corrina Thomsen; Laura Loverock; Vasilis Kokkoris; Taylor Holland; Patricia A. Bowen; Miranda Hart. Commercial arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal inoculant failed to establish in a vineyard despite priority advantage. PeerJ 2021, 9, e11119 .
AMA StyleCorrina Thomsen, Laura Loverock, Vasilis Kokkoris, Taylor Holland, Patricia A. Bowen, Miranda Hart. Commercial arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal inoculant failed to establish in a vineyard despite priority advantage. PeerJ. 2021; 9 ():e11119.
Chicago/Turabian StyleCorrina Thomsen; Laura Loverock; Vasilis Kokkoris; Taylor Holland; Patricia A. Bowen; Miranda Hart. 2021. "Commercial arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal inoculant failed to establish in a vineyard despite priority advantage." PeerJ 9, no. : e11119.
Droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) is a method used to detect and quantify nu-cleic acids even when present in exceptionally low numbers. While it has proven to be valuable for clinical studies, it has failed to be widely adopted for environmental and applied studies. Due to the complexity of the chemical and biological composition of environmental samples, protocols tailored to clinical studies are not appropriate, and results are difficult to interpret. We used en-vironmental DNA samples originating from field studies to determine a protocol for environ-mental samples. Samples included field soils which had been inoculated with the soil fungus Rhizophagus irregularis (environmental positive control), field soils that had not been inoculat-ed and the targeted fungus was not naturally present (environmental negative control), and root samples from both field categories. To control for the effect of soil inhibitors, we also in-cluded DNA samples of an organismal control extracted from pure fungal spores (organismal positive control). Finally, we included a no-template control consisting only of the PCR reaction reagents and nuclease free water instead of template DNA. Using original data, we examined which factors contribute to poor resolution in root and soil samples and propose best practises to ensure accuracy and repeatability. Furthermore, we evaluated manual and automatic threshold determination methods and we propose a novel protocol based on multiple controls that is more appropriate for environmental samples.
Vasilis Kokkoris; Eric Vukicevich; Andrew Richards; Corrina Thomsen; Miranda Hart. Optimizing Droplet Digital PCR for Environmental Samples. 2021, 1 .
AMA StyleVasilis Kokkoris, Eric Vukicevich, Andrew Richards, Corrina Thomsen, Miranda Hart. Optimizing Droplet Digital PCR for Environmental Samples. . 2021; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleVasilis Kokkoris; Eric Vukicevich; Andrew Richards; Corrina Thomsen; Miranda Hart. 2021. "Optimizing Droplet Digital PCR for Environmental Samples." , no. : 1.
It is widely claimed that common mycorrhizal networks (CMN) play significant roles in facilitated transfer of nutrients between plants. This experiment investigated the role of a common mycorrhizal network with a C3 legume and a C4 grass under drought-stressed conditions, and assessed whether there was an interaction between water and plant species on rhizosphere bacterial DNA community profile. Shoot biomass of Trifolium subterraneum increased by almost 150% when grown in close proximity to Panicum clandestinum when the only possible connection between their roots was via a common mycorrhizal network. Inter-species competition between T. subterraneum and P. clandestinum was observed in low-nutrient soil. The soil bacterial communities in rhizospheres of both T. subterraneum and P. clandestinum were similar. Drought-stress increased the relative abundance of Firmicutes and Actinobacteria and decreased the relative abundance of Proteobacteria, especially when plants were likely connected by a CMN. Drought-stress decreased the abundance of N-cycling genes under P. clandestinum but not under T. subterraneum. The competitiveness of T. subterraneum when grown adjacent to P. clandestinum corresponded with enhanced P acquisition and depletion of soil P under P. clandestinum for both water treatments at different times. Thus, T. subterraneum may have been more competitive due to enhanced direct P acquisition from soil under P. clandestinum rather than by direct P transfer from P. clandestinum to T. subterraneum via a common mycorrhizal network.
Bede S. Mickan; Miranda Hart; Zakaria M. Solaiman; Michael Renton; Kadambot H.M. Siddique; Sasha N. Jenkins; Lynette K. Abbott. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus-mediated interspecific nutritional competition of a pasture legume and grass under drought-stress. Rhizosphere 2021, 18, 100349 .
AMA StyleBede S. Mickan, Miranda Hart, Zakaria M. Solaiman, Michael Renton, Kadambot H.M. Siddique, Sasha N. Jenkins, Lynette K. Abbott. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus-mediated interspecific nutritional competition of a pasture legume and grass under drought-stress. Rhizosphere. 2021; 18 ():100349.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBede S. Mickan; Miranda Hart; Zakaria M. Solaiman; Michael Renton; Kadambot H.M. Siddique; Sasha N. Jenkins; Lynette K. Abbott. 2021. "Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus-mediated interspecific nutritional competition of a pasture legume and grass under drought-stress." Rhizosphere 18, no. : 100349.
A growing body of evidence suggests that the environment is an important source of colonizing bacteria for the gastrointestinal tract of C-section delivered infants, who undergo multiple birth-related interventions; however, the extent to which environmental microbes impact vaginally delivered infants remains unclear. Here we investigated the impact of rural and urban environmental exposures on microbial establishment and immunity in vaginally delivered mice. We simulated rural and urban home environments by adding soil types to cages from breeding to weaning. Our aims were to determine the impact of rural and urban soil exposures on the gut microbiome in young mice and to understand whether these changes persisted into adulthood. Host immune cytokines and microbial short-chain fatty acids were quantified to understand the impact on immunity. We found that early-life soil exposure had a minor effect on the richness of the neonatal gut microbiota contributing 5% and 9% variation in the bacterial community structure between mice during early-life and adulthood, respectively. Exposure to urban soil increased Clostridiaceae and propionic acid which persisted into adulthood. While soil exposure had a limited effect on the gut taxa, systemic cytokine and chemokine profiles were altered in adulthood. The findings presented here show that unlike in C-section deliveries previously reported, environmental exposures following a natural birth have a limited impact on the gut microbial taxa but potentially play an important role in immune-mediated disease susceptibility later in life.
Nishat Tasnim; Candice Quin; Sandeep Gill; Chuanbin Dai; Miranda Hart; Deanna L. Gibson. Early life environmental exposures have a minor impact on the gut ecosystem following a natural birth. Gut Microbes 2021, 13, 1 -15.
AMA StyleNishat Tasnim, Candice Quin, Sandeep Gill, Chuanbin Dai, Miranda Hart, Deanna L. Gibson. Early life environmental exposures have a minor impact on the gut ecosystem following a natural birth. Gut Microbes. 2021; 13 (1):1-15.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNishat Tasnim; Candice Quin; Sandeep Gill; Chuanbin Dai; Miranda Hart; Deanna L. Gibson. 2021. "Early life environmental exposures have a minor impact on the gut ecosystem following a natural birth." Gut Microbes 13, no. 1: 1-15.
1. Global interest in building healthy soils combined with new DNA sequencing technologies has led to the generation of a vast amount of soil microbial community (SMC) data. 2. SMC analysis is being adopted widely for monitoring ecological restoration trajectories. However, despite the large and growing quantity of soil microbial data, it remains unclear how these data inform and best guide restoration practice. 3. Here, we examine assumptions around SMC as a tool for guiding ecosystem restoration and evaluate the effectiveness of using species inventories of SMC as a benchmark for restoration success. 4. We investigate other approaches of assessing soil health, and conclude that we can significantly enhance the utility of species inventory data for ecological restoration by complementing it with the use of non‐molecular approaches.
Miranda M. Hart; Adam T. Cross; Haylee M. D'agui; Kingsley W. Dixon; Mieke Van Der Heyde; Bede Mickan; Christina Horst; Benjamin Moreira Grez; Justin M. Valliere; Raphael Viscarra Rossel; Andrew Whiteley; Wei San Wong; Hongtao Zhong; Paul Nevill. Examining assumptions of soil microbial ecology in the monitoring of ecological restoration. Ecological Solutions and Evidence 2020, 1, 1 .
AMA StyleMiranda M. Hart, Adam T. Cross, Haylee M. D'agui, Kingsley W. Dixon, Mieke Van Der Heyde, Bede Mickan, Christina Horst, Benjamin Moreira Grez, Justin M. Valliere, Raphael Viscarra Rossel, Andrew Whiteley, Wei San Wong, Hongtao Zhong, Paul Nevill. Examining assumptions of soil microbial ecology in the monitoring of ecological restoration. Ecological Solutions and Evidence. 2020; 1 (2):1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMiranda M. Hart; Adam T. Cross; Haylee M. D'agui; Kingsley W. Dixon; Mieke Van Der Heyde; Bede Mickan; Christina Horst; Benjamin Moreira Grez; Justin M. Valliere; Raphael Viscarra Rossel; Andrew Whiteley; Wei San Wong; Hongtao Zhong; Paul Nevill. 2020. "Examining assumptions of soil microbial ecology in the monitoring of ecological restoration." Ecological Solutions and Evidence 1, no. 2: 1.
(1) Background: Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are symbiotic organisms that help plants acquire nutrients from the soil in exchange for photosynthetic carbon. Commercial AM fungal inoculants are widely available and are used extensively in agriculture including wine grape production. However, positive growth responses from inoculants are more consistent in the greenhouse compared to the field. (2) Methods: We grew three grapevine rootstocks with and without an AM fungal inoculant in the greenhouse for one year, then they were transplanted to the field for two years. To quantify the establishment of the inoculant, we analyzed root samples with a digital PCR assay. (3) Results: We show that AM fungal inoculation increased biomass production only in the greenhouse. After two growing seasons in the field, the commercial inoculant colonized roots but did not increase biomass production compared to uninoculated rootstocks. (4) Conclusions: This study highlights that AM fungal inoculants do not always promote growth of grapevines in the field. Future research should focus on inoculant strains designed for viticulture applications and take rootstock into consideration to maximize their efficacy.
Daniel Rosa; Antreas Pogiatzis; Pat Bowen; Vasilis Kokkoris; Andrew Richards; Taylor Holland; Miranda Hart. Performance and Establishment of a Commercial Mycorrhizal Inoculant in Viticulture. Agriculture 2020, 10, 539 .
AMA StyleDaniel Rosa, Antreas Pogiatzis, Pat Bowen, Vasilis Kokkoris, Andrew Richards, Taylor Holland, Miranda Hart. Performance and Establishment of a Commercial Mycorrhizal Inoculant in Viticulture. Agriculture. 2020; 10 (11):539.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDaniel Rosa; Antreas Pogiatzis; Pat Bowen; Vasilis Kokkoris; Andrew Richards; Taylor Holland; Miranda Hart. 2020. "Performance and Establishment of a Commercial Mycorrhizal Inoculant in Viticulture." Agriculture 10, no. 11: 539.
In the last few decades, microbial inoculants have been used as organic fertilizers worldwide. Among the most widely used commercial products are arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, as these fungi can associate with a variety of crops. Despite the potential benefits for soil quality and crop yield associated with AM fungal colonization, experiments assessing the persistence of the fungi in the field have yielded inconsistent results. Additionally, it is not yet clear whether or not the introduction of commercial inoculants could lead to changes to the resident fungal community, and eventually to invasion of the commercial products with a possible displacement of resident species. Here we use a partial differential equation model to assess the potential biodiversity risks and productivity benefits deriving from inoculation. We study the impact of AM fungal inoculation on the resident fungal community and on plant growth at a landscape scale. We determine how inoculant persistence and spread are affected by its competition with resident fungal species, by its mutualist quality, and by fungal dispersal. Our findings suggest that the increase in fungal abundance due to inoculation always leads to a short-term increase in host productivity, regardless of inoculant identity. However, the use of strongly competing inoculants constitutes a biodiversity risk, and may result in the invasion of low quality mutualists.
Maria M. Martignoni; Jimmy Garnier; Miranda M. Hart; Rebecca C. Tyson. Investigating the impact of the mycorrhizal inoculum on the resident fungal community and on plant growth. Ecological Modelling 2020, 438, 109321 .
AMA StyleMaria M. Martignoni, Jimmy Garnier, Miranda M. Hart, Rebecca C. Tyson. Investigating the impact of the mycorrhizal inoculum on the resident fungal community and on plant growth. Ecological Modelling. 2020; 438 ():109321.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMaria M. Martignoni; Jimmy Garnier; Miranda M. Hart; Rebecca C. Tyson. 2020. "Investigating the impact of the mycorrhizal inoculum on the resident fungal community and on plant growth." Ecological Modelling 438, no. : 109321.
We consider here mutualisms where there are multiple species sharing a resource supplied by the same partner. If, as commonly assumed, there is competition between the species, then only the superior competitor should persist. Nevertheless, coexistence of multiple species sharing the same mutualistic partner is a widespread phenomenon. Regulation of nutrient exchange, where each species receives resources from the partner in proportion to the strength of the mutualism between the two, has been proposed as the main mechanism for coexistence in multi-species mutualisms involving the transfer of nutrients. Significant arguments, however, challenge the importance of partner selection processes. We present a mathematical model, applied to the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis, to propose an alternative explanation for this coexistence. We show that asymmetric resource exchange between the plant and its fungal guild can lead to indirect parasitic interactions between guild members. In our model, the amount of carbon supplied by the plant to the fungi depends on both plant and fungal biomass, while the amount of phosphorus supplied by the fungi to the plant depends on both plant and fungal biomass when the plant is small, and effectively on fungal biomass only when the plant is large. As a consequence of these functional responses, more beneficial mutualists increase resource availability, and are indirectly exploited by less beneficial species that consume the resource and grow larger than they would in the absence of the better mutualists. As guild mutualists are not competing, competitive exclusion does not occur. Hence, the interaction structure can explain the maintenance of diversity within guilds in the absence of spatial structure and niche-related processes.
Maria M. Martignoni; Miranda M. Hart; Jimmy Garnier; Rebecca C. Tyson. Parasitism within mutualist guilds explains the maintenance of diversity in multi-species mutualisms. Theoretical Ecology 2020, 13, 615 -627.
AMA StyleMaria M. Martignoni, Miranda M. Hart, Jimmy Garnier, Rebecca C. Tyson. Parasitism within mutualist guilds explains the maintenance of diversity in multi-species mutualisms. Theoretical Ecology. 2020; 13 (4):615-627.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMaria M. Martignoni; Miranda M. Hart; Jimmy Garnier; Rebecca C. Tyson. 2020. "Parasitism within mutualist guilds explains the maintenance of diversity in multi-species mutualisms." Theoretical Ecology 13, no. 4: 615-627.
Although sold commercially as myco-insecticides, naturally occurring soil borne entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) pose a unique opportunity for regulating soil-dwelling insect herbivore populations via conservation biological control. Plant identity has a significant effect on soil borne fungi, which may includee EPF. We asked whether the choice of covercrops could affect the diversity and infectivity of EPF in a vineyard. We studied the effect of different mixtures of groundcover vegetation on the infectivity and community composition of the naturally occurring EPF community in a semi-arid vineyard in British Columbia, Canada. Soil was collected from a groundcover field trial and used in a quantitative laboratory bioassay with the model insect, Galleria mellonella. Death by mycosis was greater when Galleria was exposed to soil collected from groundcovers containing native versus exotic grasses. EPF communities isolated from Galleria cadavers also differed among groundcovers. This study presents the first evidence that manipulating vegetative identity can alter the composition and infectivity of soil-dwelling EPF. Future work should investigate the potential for groundcovers and cover crops to increase conservation biological control of soil-dwelling insect pests via changes to EPF communities in specific crop-pest scenarios.
Eric Vukicevich; Michelle MacDonald; D. Thomas Lowery; Miranda Hart. The effect of vineyard groundcover on the abundance of naturally occurring entomopathogenic fungi isolated using a quantitative Galleria bait method. Rhizosphere 2020, 15, 100232 .
AMA StyleEric Vukicevich, Michelle MacDonald, D. Thomas Lowery, Miranda Hart. The effect of vineyard groundcover on the abundance of naturally occurring entomopathogenic fungi isolated using a quantitative Galleria bait method. Rhizosphere. 2020; 15 ():100232.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEric Vukicevich; Michelle MacDonald; D. Thomas Lowery; Miranda Hart. 2020. "The effect of vineyard groundcover on the abundance of naturally occurring entomopathogenic fungi isolated using a quantitative Galleria bait method." Rhizosphere 15, no. : 100232.
That arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi covary with plant communities is clear, and many papers report nonrandom associations between symbiotic partners. However, these studies do not test the causal relationship, or ‘codependency’, whereby the composition of one guild affects the composition of the other. Here we outline underlying requirements for codependency, compare important drivers for both plant and AM fungal communities, and assess how host preference – a pre-requisite for codependency – changes across spatiotemporal scales and taxonomic resolution for both plants and AM fungi. We find few examples in the literature designed to test for codependency and those that do have been conducted within plots or mesocosms. Also, while plants and AM fungi respond similarly to coarse environmental filters, most variation remains unexplained, with host identity explaining less than 30% of the variation in AM fungal communities. These results combined question the likelihood of predictable co-occurrence, and therefore evolution of codependency, between plant and AM fungal taxa across locations. We argue that codependency is most likely to occur in homogeneous environments where specific plant – AM fungal pairings have functional consequences for the symbiosis. We end by outlining critical aspects to consider moving forward.
Vasilis Kokkoris; Ylva Lekberg; Pedro M. Antunes; Catherine Fahey; James A. Fordyce; Stephanie N. Kivlin; Miranda M. Hart. Codependency between plant and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities: what is the evidence? New Phytologist 2020, 228, 828 -838.
AMA StyleVasilis Kokkoris, Ylva Lekberg, Pedro M. Antunes, Catherine Fahey, James A. Fordyce, Stephanie N. Kivlin, Miranda M. Hart. Codependency between plant and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities: what is the evidence? New Phytologist. 2020; 228 (3):828-838.
Chicago/Turabian StyleVasilis Kokkoris; Ylva Lekberg; Pedro M. Antunes; Catherine Fahey; James A. Fordyce; Stephanie N. Kivlin; Miranda M. Hart. 2020. "Codependency between plant and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities: what is the evidence?" New Phytologist 228, no. 3: 828-838.
Wine grape production is an important economic asset in many nations; however, a significant proportion of vines succumb to grapevine trunk pathogens, reducing yields and causing economic losses. Cover crops, plants that are grown in addition to main crops in order to maintain and enhance soil composition, may also serve as a line of defense against these fungal pathogens by producing volatile root exudates and/or harboring suppressive microbes. We tested whether cover crop diversity reduced disease symptoms and pathogen abundance. In two greenhouse experiments, we inoculated soil with a 106 conidia suspension of Ilyonectria liriodendri, a pathogenic fungus, then conditioned soil with cover crops for several months to investigate changes in pathogen abundance and fungal communities. After removal of cover crops, Chardonnay cuttings were grown in the same soil to assess disease symptoms. When grown alone, white mustard was the only cover crop associated with reductions in necrotic root damage and abundance of Ilyonectria. The suppressive effects of white mustard largely disappeared when paired with other cover crops. In this study, plant identity was more important than diversity when controlling for fungal pathogens in vineyards. This research aligns with other literature describing the suppressive potential of white mustard in vineyards.
Andrew Richards; Mehrbod Estaki; José Ramón Úrbez-Torres; Pat Bowen; Tom Lowery; Miranda Hart. Cover Crop Diversity as a Tool to Mitigate Vine Decline and Reduce Pathogens in Vineyard Soils. Diversity 2020, 12, 128 .
AMA StyleAndrew Richards, Mehrbod Estaki, José Ramón Úrbez-Torres, Pat Bowen, Tom Lowery, Miranda Hart. Cover Crop Diversity as a Tool to Mitigate Vine Decline and Reduce Pathogens in Vineyard Soils. Diversity. 2020; 12 (4):128.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAndrew Richards; Mehrbod Estaki; José Ramón Úrbez-Torres; Pat Bowen; Tom Lowery; Miranda Hart. 2020. "Cover Crop Diversity as a Tool to Mitigate Vine Decline and Reduce Pathogens in Vineyard Soils." Diversity 12, no. 4: 128.
The success of ecosystem restoration following mining could be improved through consideration of the soil microbial community, which forms the foundation of ecosystems. Through sequencing we can assess the response of the microbial community to stresses such as stockpiling, and measure community recovery. We sequenced fungal and bacterial communities associated with intact Banksia woodland reference soils and stockpiled topsoil stored for one to ten years following sand mining in Western Australia. We found that both bacterial and fungal richness declined, but that the fungal community returned to a state similar to reference soils, whereas the bacterial community did not. Notably, Bradyrhizobium was absent from 10-year soils, indicating a possible lack of inoculum available to colonize legumes that are often used for revegetation. Soil fungi and bacteria respond differently to stockpiling and key taxa such as Bradyrhizobium could be lost. In addition, changes in the bacterial community may signal a reduction in plant-available nitrogen and a shift towards more anaerobic conditions consistent with previous studies. These changes in microbial communities support previous findings of reduced plant performance on 10-year stockpiled soils and emphasize the importance of considering soil age during restoration.
Monika Gorzelak; Breanne McAmmond; Jonathan Van Hamme; Christina Birnbaum; Corrina Thomsen; Miranda Hart. Soil Microbial Communities in Long-Term Soil Storage for Sand Mine Reclamation. Ecological Restoration 2020, 38, 13 -23.
AMA StyleMonika Gorzelak, Breanne McAmmond, Jonathan Van Hamme, Christina Birnbaum, Corrina Thomsen, Miranda Hart. Soil Microbial Communities in Long-Term Soil Storage for Sand Mine Reclamation. Ecological Restoration. 2020; 38 (1):13-23.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMonika Gorzelak; Breanne McAmmond; Jonathan Van Hamme; Christina Birnbaum; Corrina Thomsen; Miranda Hart. 2020. "Soil Microbial Communities in Long-Term Soil Storage for Sand Mine Reclamation." Ecological Restoration 38, no. 1: 13-23.
The restoration of vegetation post-mining is particularly challenging in extreme conditions such as Mediterranean systems where soil moisture is limiting, soil temperature fluctuates dramatically, and soil carbon is very low. In such systems, soil microbial communities may play an important role in attenuating extreme conditions. Thus, vegetation establishment on such sites may be curtailed by depauperate soil communities. Soil fungal communities, in particular, are essential for nutrient turn over but we know very little about how these communities respond to mining and post-mining restoration. Fungi may be significantly affected by restoration practices. For example, the inclusion of deeper soil profiles (i.e., “overburden”) into restoration events is rare, but may expedite fungal community development. We studied a successional gradient of sand mine restoration in a former Banksia woodland in SW Australia to determine whether soil fungal communities recovered after 13 years. We also asked whether the inclusion of overburden into restoration sites improved soil fungal community development. Overall, fungal communities did not return to a pre-disturbance state by 13 years, nor did the inclusion of overburden affect their trajectory. Longer term studies are need to determine when, if ever, fungal communities are restored, and what effect this has nascent vegetation.
Miranda Hart; Monika A. Gorzelak; Breanne M. McAmmond; Jonathan Van Hamme; Jason Stevens; Lynette Abbott; Andrew S. Whiteley; Paul Nevill. Fungal Communities Resist Recovery in Sand Mine Restoration. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change 2019, 2, 1 .
AMA StyleMiranda Hart, Monika A. Gorzelak, Breanne M. McAmmond, Jonathan Van Hamme, Jason Stevens, Lynette Abbott, Andrew S. Whiteley, Paul Nevill. Fungal Communities Resist Recovery in Sand Mine Restoration. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change. 2019; 2 ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMiranda Hart; Monika A. Gorzelak; Breanne M. McAmmond; Jonathan Van Hamme; Jason Stevens; Lynette Abbott; Andrew S. Whiteley; Paul Nevill. 2019. "Fungal Communities Resist Recovery in Sand Mine Restoration." Frontiers in Forests and Global Change 2, no. : 1.
Background Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi provide benefits to plants, especially under stressful growing conditions. These symbiotic fungi can be applied as biofertilizers prior to transplant in order to increase establishment success in the field. Roots are often trimmed at the time of transplant to reduce the probability of J-rooting, the upward orientation of roots within a planting hole which can lead to root death and disease. The effect of root trimming on the mycorrhizal symbiosis is unknown. It is possible that trimming may remove the active mycelium, nullifying the effect of inoculation. We conducted a greenhouse study to test the effect of root trimming on the mycorrhizal symbiosis in grapevine. Results The mycorrhizal symbiosis persisted after root trimming. Trimming reduced the abundance of AM fungi in older roots. The fungi were able to recolonize the new roots in trimmed vines, and these roots had more arbuscules compared to older roots, which had mostly vesicles. Trimmed vines had lower shoot, but not root, biomass. Conclusions The mycorrhizal symbiosis persisted in the roots, despite trimming, likely due to fungal structures in older, untrimmed roots serving as propagules. We conclude that inoculation with AM fungi prior to field transplant is robust to root trimming, at least for the isolate examined in this study.
Taylor Holland; Pat Bowen; Vasilis Kokkoris; Andrew Richards; Daniel Rosa; Miranda Hart. The effect of root pruning on the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis in grapevine rootstocks. Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture 2019, 6, 1 -6.
AMA StyleTaylor Holland, Pat Bowen, Vasilis Kokkoris, Andrew Richards, Daniel Rosa, Miranda Hart. The effect of root pruning on the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis in grapevine rootstocks. Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture. 2019; 6 (1):1-6.
Chicago/Turabian StyleTaylor Holland; Pat Bowen; Vasilis Kokkoris; Andrew Richards; Daniel Rosa; Miranda Hart. 2019. "The effect of root pruning on the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis in grapevine rootstocks." Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture 6, no. 1: 1-6.
Ilyonectria is a weak pathogen known for causing black foot disease in young vines, infecting roots and vascular tissues at the basal end of the rootstock and restricting the movement of water and nutrients. This negatively impacts vine establishment during transplant into the vineyard. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are symbiotic fungi that associate with most plants and have been shown to mitigate the infection and effect of pathogens. This greenhouse study was designed to determine if the mycorrhizal fungi could mitigate Ilyonectria infection and whether this was dependent on inoculation timing. ‘Riparia gloire’ grapevine rootstocks (Vitis riparia) were infected with Ilyonectria either after AM fungi, at the same time as AM fungi, or to roots that were not inoculated by AM fungi. We measured the abundance using specific markers for both the pathogen and AM fungi. Colonization by AM fungi did not suppress Ilyonectria, but instead increased the abundance of Ilyonectria. Further, mycorrhizal rootstocks did not have enhanced growth effects on physiological parameters when compared to non-mycorrhizal rootstocks. These findings stand in contrast to the general perception that AM fungi provide protection against root pathogens.
Taylor Holland; Patricia Bowen; Vasilis Kokkoris; Jose Ramon Urbez-Torres; Miranda Hart. Does Inoculation with Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Reduce Trunk Disease in Grapevine Rootstocks? Horticulturae 2019, 5, 61 .
AMA StyleTaylor Holland, Patricia Bowen, Vasilis Kokkoris, Jose Ramon Urbez-Torres, Miranda Hart. Does Inoculation with Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Reduce Trunk Disease in Grapevine Rootstocks? Horticulturae. 2019; 5 (3):61.
Chicago/Turabian StyleTaylor Holland; Patricia Bowen; Vasilis Kokkoris; Jose Ramon Urbez-Torres; Miranda Hart. 2019. "Does Inoculation with Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Reduce Trunk Disease in Grapevine Rootstocks?" Horticulturae 5, no. 3: 61.
How men and women are portrayed in the media informs societal attitudes towards gender. Although this is true for all media, the scientific media has received little scrutiny, despite known gender biases inherent in scientific culture. We asked whether the top scientific journals, Nature and Science, represented men and women equally as authors, subjects, and objects in photographs. Overwhelmingly, women were underrepresented in these magazines, an effect that was apparent even in advertisements and stock photographs. Clearly, gender bias in science exists at many levels.
Becky Loverock; Miranda M. Hart. What a scientist looks like: Portraying gender in the scientific media. FACETS 2018, 3, 754 -763.
AMA StyleBecky Loverock, Miranda M. Hart. What a scientist looks like: Portraying gender in the scientific media. FACETS. 2018; 3 (1):754-763.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBecky Loverock; Miranda M. Hart. 2018. "What a scientist looks like: Portraying gender in the scientific media." FACETS 3, no. 1: 754-763.
Kathleen K. Treseder; Edith B. Allen; Louise M. Egerton‐Warburton; Miranda M. Hart; John N. Klironomos; Hafiz Maherali; Leho Tedersoo. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi as mediators of ecosystem responses to nitrogen deposition: A trait‐based predictive framework. Journal of Ecology 2018, 106, 480 -489.
AMA StyleKathleen K. Treseder, Edith B. Allen, Louise M. Egerton‐Warburton, Miranda M. Hart, John N. Klironomos, Hafiz Maherali, Leho Tedersoo. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi as mediators of ecosystem responses to nitrogen deposition: A trait‐based predictive framework. Journal of Ecology. 2018; 106 (2):480-489.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKathleen K. Treseder; Edith B. Allen; Louise M. Egerton‐Warburton; Miranda M. Hart; John N. Klironomos; Hafiz Maherali; Leho Tedersoo. 2018. "Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi as mediators of ecosystem responses to nitrogen deposition: A trait‐based predictive framework." Journal of Ecology 106, no. 2: 480-489.
Bede S. Mickan; Miranda M. Hart; Zakaria M. Solaiman; Sasha Jenkins; Kadambot Siddique; Lynette K. Abbott. Molecular divergence of fungal communities in soil, roots and hyphae highlight the importance of sampling strategies. Rhizosphere 2017, 4, 104 -111.
AMA StyleBede S. Mickan, Miranda M. Hart, Zakaria M. Solaiman, Sasha Jenkins, Kadambot Siddique, Lynette K. Abbott. Molecular divergence of fungal communities in soil, roots and hyphae highlight the importance of sampling strategies. Rhizosphere. 2017; 4 ():104-111.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBede S. Mickan; Miranda M. Hart; Zakaria M. Solaiman; Sasha Jenkins; Kadambot Siddique; Lynette K. Abbott. 2017. "Molecular divergence of fungal communities in soil, roots and hyphae highlight the importance of sampling strategies." Rhizosphere 4, no. : 104-111.
Global comparisons reveal a decrease in gut microbiota diversity attributed to Western diets, lifestyle practices such as caesarian section, antibiotic use and formula-feeding of infants, and sanitation of the living environment. While gut microbial diversity is decreasing, the prevalence of chronic inflammatory diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, Type 2 1 diabetes, obesity, allergies and asthma is on the rise in Westernized societies. Since the immune system development is influenced by microbial components, early microbial colonization may be a key factor in determining disease susceptibility patterns later in life. Evidence indicates that the gut microbiota is vertically transmitted from the mother and this affects offspring immunity. However, the role of the external environment in gut microbiome and immune development is poorly understood. Studies show that growing up in microbe-rich environments, such as traditional farms, can have protective health effects on children. These health-effects may be ablated due to changes in the human lifestyle, diet, living environment and environmental biodiversity as a result of urbanization. Importantly, if If early-life exposure to environmental microbes increases gut microbiota diversity by influencing patterns of gut microbial assembly, then soil biodiversity loss due to land-use changes such as urbanization could be a public health threat. Here, we summarize key questions in environmental health research and discuss some of the challenges that have hindered progress towards a better understanding of the role of the environment on gut microbiome development.
Nishat Tasnim; Nijiati Abulizi; Jason Pither; Miranda M. Hart; Deanna L. Gibson. Linking the Gut Microbial Ecosystem with the Environment: Does Gut Health Depend on Where We Live? Frontiers in Microbiology 2017, 8, 1935 .
AMA StyleNishat Tasnim, Nijiati Abulizi, Jason Pither, Miranda M. Hart, Deanna L. Gibson. Linking the Gut Microbial Ecosystem with the Environment: Does Gut Health Depend on Where We Live? Frontiers in Microbiology. 2017; 8 ():1935.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNishat Tasnim; Nijiati Abulizi; Jason Pither; Miranda M. Hart; Deanna L. Gibson. 2017. "Linking the Gut Microbial Ecosystem with the Environment: Does Gut Health Depend on Where We Live?" Frontiers in Microbiology 8, no. : 1935.