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Date Available
7-24-2018
Year of Publication
2018
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
College
Agriculture, Food and Environment
Department/School/Program
Plant and Soil Sciences
Faculty
Dr. Rebecca McCulley
Faculty
Dr. Mark Coyne
Abstract
The relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning is important in maintaining agroecosystem sustainability. Plant-microbe symbioses, such as exists between the grass tall fescue (Schedonorus arundinaceum) and the asexual fungal endophyte Epichloë coenophiala, can be utilized to enhance agroecosystem functions, such as herbivore resistance. “Novel” E. coenophiala strains that vary in the production of mammal- and insect-toxic compounds have been identified, inserted into tall fescue cultivars, and are planted in pastures globally. Novel fungal endophyte-tall fescue associations may have divergent ecosystem function effects. This study assessed effects of different fescue-endophyte symbiotic combinations on pasture ecosystem function, including aboveground (fescue biomass, plant species richness, alkaloid synthesis, arthropod abundance) and belowground (soil microbial biomass, soil enzyme activity, trace gas fluxes) parameters. Results showed no significant effects of increasing symbiotic diversity within a fescue stand on aboveground measurements, bar arthropod abundance and alkaloid synthesis. Most soil parameters quantified had significant symbiotic diversity effects. For example, soil microbial biomass decreased whereas soil enzyme activity increased with increasing symbiotic diversity. Overall, our results suggested that increasing symbiotic diversity had weak to moderate effects on aboveground processes and stronger effects on certain belowground processes, indicating that symbiotic diversity can impact ecosystem functions and warrants further research.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2018.275
Recommended Citation
Bagherzadeh, Mahtaab, "CAN INCREASING GRASS-FUNGAL ENDOPHYTE SYMBIOTIC DIVERSITY ENHANCE GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEM FUNCTIONING?" (2018). Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences. 105.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/pss_etds/105
Included in
Agriculture Commons, Biodiversity Commons, Entomology Commons, Plant Sciences Commons, Soil Science Commons, Sustainability Commons
