ORCID Profile
0000-0002-2740-2128
Current Organisation
University of Canterbury
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Terrestrial Ecology | Plant Physiology | Soil Sciences | Soil Biology
Environmentally Sustainable Plant Production not elsewhere classified | Expanding Knowledge in the Biological Sciences | Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity at Regional or Larger Scales |
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 11-2017
DOI: 10.1002/ECS2.1997
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 04-2019
DOI: 10.1111/MEC.15060
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 14-06-2010
DOI: 10.1111/J.1461-0248.2010.01474.X
Abstract: The enemy release hypothesis is a common explanation for species invasions, suggesting that introduced species benefit from leaving behind natural enemies in the native range. However, any such advantage may attenuate over time. In this study, we test a prediction of this more dynamic enemy release hypothesis: that non-native plant species that became established longer ago exhibit stronger negative feedbacks with the soil. Consistent with declining enemy release over time, we found increasingly negative soil feedbacks for species established longer ago in New Zealand. Negative soil feedbacks were also stronger for more widespread species, but weaker for more locally abundant species, suggesting that species accumulate negative interactions as they spread and can be locally regulated by these interactions. We also present data to support the common assumption that relatives have similar impacts on and responses to soil communities. Together, these data highlight the dynamic nature of novel interactions arising from species introductions.
Publisher: New Zealand Ecological Society
Date: 2018
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 03-11-2020
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 03-07-2019
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 19-10-2022
Publisher: eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd
Date: 19-05-2020
DOI: 10.7554/ELIFE.52787
Abstract: The effects of land use on soil invertebrates – an important ecosystem component – are poorly understood. We investigated land-use impacts on a comprehensive range of soil invertebrates across New Zealand, measured using DNA metabarcoding and six bio ersity metrics. Rarity and phylogenetic rarity – direct measures of the number of species or the portion of a phylogeny unique to a site – showed stronger, more consistent responses across taxa to land use than widely used metrics of species richness, effective species numbers, and phylogenetic ersity. Overall, phylogenetic rarity explained the highest proportion of land use-related variance. Rarity declined from natural forest to planted forest, grassland, and perennial cropland for most soil invertebrate taxa, demonstrating pervasive impacts of agricultural land use on soil invertebrate communities. Commonly used ersity metrics may underestimate the impacts of land use on soil invertebrates, whereas rarity provides clearer and more consistent evidence of these impacts.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 07-03-2011
Publisher: New Zealand Ecological Society
Date: 31-01-2022
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 02-11-2021
DOI: 10.1111/NPH.17780
Abstract: Globally, agricultural land‐use negatively affects soil biota that contribute to ecosystem functions such as nutrient cycling, yet arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are promoted as essential components of agroecosystems. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi include Glomeromycotinian AMF (G‐AMF) and the arbuscule‐producing fine root endophytes, recently re‐classified into the Endogonales order within Mucoromycotina. The correct classification of Mucoromycotinian AMF (M‐AMF) and the availability of new molecular tools can guide research to better the understanding of their ersity and ecology. To investigate the impact on G‐AMF and M‐AMF of agricultural land‐use at a continental scale, we s led DNA from paired farm and native sites across 10 Australian biomes. Glomeromycotinian AMF were present in both native and farm sites in all biomes. Putative M‐AMF were favoured by farm sites, rare or absent in native sites, and almost entirely absent in tropical biomes. Temperature, rainfall, and soil pH were strong drivers of richness and community composition of both groups, and plant richness was an important mediator. Both fungal groups occupy different, but overlapping, ecological niches, with M‐AMF thriving in temperate agricultural landscapes. Our findings invite exploration of the origin and spread of M‐AMF and continued efforts to resolve the phylogeny of this newly reclassified group of AMF.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 26-06-2017
DOI: 10.1111/NPH.14657
Abstract: Invasions of alien plants are typically studied as invasions of in idual species, yet interactions between plants and symbiotic fungi (mutualists and potential pathogens) affect plant survival, physiological traits, and reproduction and hence invasion success. Studies show that plant–fungal associations are frequently key drivers of plant invasion success and impact, but clear conceptual frameworks and integration across studies are needed to move beyond a series of case studies towards a more predictive understanding. Here, we consider linked plant–fungal invasions from the perspective of plant and fungal origin, simplified to the least complex representations or ‘motifs’. By characterizing these interaction motifs, parallels in invasion processes between pathogen and mutualist fungi become clear, although the outcomes are often opposite in effect. These interaction motifs provide hypotheses for fungal‐driven dynamics behind observed plant invasion trajectories. In some situations, the effects of plant–fungal interactions are inconsistent or negligible. Variability in when and where different interaction motifs matter may be driven by specificity in the plant–fungal interaction, the size of the effect of the symbiosis (negative to positive) on plants and the dependence (obligate to facultative) of the plant−fungal interaction. Linked plant–fungal invasions can transform communities and ecosystem function, with potential for persistent legacies preventing ecosystem restoration. Contents Summary 1314 I. Introduction 1315 II. Simplification of complex networks into interaction motifs 1316 III. Plant–fungal interactions and plant invasion dynamics 1322 IV. Predicting where plant–fungal interactions matter: plant−symbiont specificity, dependence and effect size 1323 V. Spatial context of linked plant–fungal invasions 1325 VI. Impacts of linked plant–fungal invasions on ecosystem processes 1326 VII. Management implications 1326 VIII. Conclusions 1327 Acknowledgements 1328 References 1328
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 04-08-2016
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 08-11-2010
Publisher: New Zealand Ecological Society
Date: 2017
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 15-01-2019
DOI: 10.1111/AEN.12384
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 19-12-2015
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 30-12-2017
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 21-02-2020
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 07-06-2017
DOI: 10.1007/S00572-017-0782-Z
Abstract: Fine root endophytes (FRE) are arbuscule-forming fungi presently considered as a single species-Glomus tenue in the Glomeromycota (Glomeromycotina)-but probably belong within the Mucoromycotina. Thus, FRE are the only known arbuscule-forming fungi not within the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF Glomeromycotina) as currently understood. Phylogenetic differences between FRE and AMF could reflect ecological differences. To synthesize current ecological knowledge, we reviewed the literature on FRE and identified 108 papers that noted the presence of FRE and, in some, the colonization levels for FRE or AMF (or both). We categorized these records by geographic region, host-plant family and environment (agriculture, moderate-natural, low-temperature, high-altitude and other) and determined their influence on the percentage of root length colonized by FRE in a meta-analysis. We found that FRE are globally distributed, with many observations from Poaceae, perhaps due to grasses being widely distributed. In agricultural environments, colonization by FRE often equalled or exceeded that of AMF, particularly in Australasia. In moderate-natural and high-altitude environments, average colonization by FRE (~10%) was lower than that of AMF (~35%), whereas in low-temperature environments, colonization was similar (~20%). Several studies suggested that FRE can enhance host-plant phosphorus uptake and growth, and may be more resilient than AMF to environmental stress in some host plants. Further research is required on the functioning of FRE in relation to the environment, host plant and co-occurring AMF and, in particular, to examine whether FRE are important for plant growth in stressful environments. Targeted molecular primers are urgently needed for further research on FRE.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 25-12-2019
DOI: 10.1002/MBO3.780
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 14-06-2018
Abstract: DNA-based techniques are increasingly used for measuring the bio ersity (species presence, identity, abundance and community composition) of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. While there are numerous reviews of molecular methods and bioinformatic steps, there has been little consideration of the methods used to collect s les upon which these later steps are based. This represents a critical knowledge gap, as methodologically sound field s ling is the foundation for subsequent analyses. We reviewed field s ling methods used for metabarcoding studies of both terrestrial and freshwater ecosystem bio ersity over a nearly three-year period (n = 75). We found that 95% (n = 71) of these studies used subjective s ling methods and inappropriate field methods and/or failed to provide critical methodological information. It would be possible for researchers to replicate only 5% of the metabarcoding studies in our s le, a poorer level of reproducibility than for ecological studies in general. Our findings suggest greater attention to field s ling methods, and reporting is necessary in eDNA-based studies of bio ersity to ensure robust outcomes and future reproducibility. Methods must be fully and accurately reported, and protocols developed that minimize subjectivity. Standardization of s ling protocols would be one way to help to improve reproducibility and have additional benefits in allowing compilation and comparison of data from across studies.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 08-2019
DOI: 10.1111/MEC.15177
Abstract: Little is known about the ersity patterns of plant pathogens and how they change with land use at a broad scale. We employed DNA metabarcoding to describe the ersity and composition of putative plant pathogen communities in three substrates (soil, roots, and leaves) across five major land uses at a national scale. Almost all plant pathogen communities (fungi, oomycetes, and bacteria) showed strong responses to land use and substrate type. Land use category could explain up to 24% of the variance in composition between communities. Alpha- ersity (richness) of plant pathogens was consistently lower in natural forests than in agricultural systems. In planted forests, there was also generally low pathogen alpha- ersity in soil and roots, but alpha- ersity in leaves was high compared with most other land uses. In contrast to alpha- ersity, differences in within-land use beta- ersity of plant pathogens (the predictability of plant pathogen communities within land use) were subtle. Our results show that large-scale patterns and distributions of putative plant pathogens can be determined using metabarcoding, allowing some of the first landscape level insights into these critically important communities.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 22-10-2019
DOI: 10.1111/NPH.16190
Abstract: Dual-mycorrhizal plants are capable of associating with fungi that form characteristic arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) and ectomycorrhizal (EM) structures. Here, we address the following questions: (1) How many dual-mycorrhizal plant species are there? (2) What are the advantages for a plant to host two, rather than one, mycorrhizal types? (3) Which factors can provoke shifts in mycorrhizal dominance (i.e. mycorrhizal switching)? We identify a large number (89 genera within 32 families) of confirmed dual-mycorrhizal plants based on observing arbuscules or coils for AM status and Hartig net or similar structures for EM status within the same plant species. We then review the possible nutritional benefits and discuss the possible mechanisms leading to net costs and benefits. Cost and benefits of dual-mycorrhizal status appear to be context dependent, particularly with respect to the life stage of the host plant. Mycorrhizal switching occurs under a wide range of abiotic and biotic factors, including soil moisture and nutrient status. The relevance of dual-mycorrhizal plants in the ecological restoration of adverse sites where plants are not carbon limited is discussed. We conclude that dual-mycorrhizal plants are underutilized in ecophysiological-based experiments, yet are powerful model plant-fungal systems to better understand mycorrhizal symbioses without confounding host effects.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 04-04-2017
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2018
Publisher: Elsevier
Date: 2017
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 15-12-2014
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 27-08-2023
Abstract: Biological invasions of plants have profound effects on ecosystem functioning by directly and indirectly altering soil microbiota, especially when invasive plants co‐invade with their associated microbiomes. Ecosystem functions may recover slowly following invader removal, with implications for restoration. We investigated the recovery of soil ecosystem function (measured as soil enzymes) following the removal, at different densities and times, of invasive Pinus spp. in New Zealand, and how different enzymatic activities responded to pine legacies. Enzymatic activities were driven by pine legacies via both abiotic (soil nutrients) and biotic (fungi and bacteria) soil properties, with different enzymes showing distinct patterns. The activity of the enzymes cellobiohydrolase (cellulose degrading), β‐glucosidase (cellulose degrading), N‐acetyl‐glucosaminidase (chitin degrading), laccase (lignin oxidising) and acid phosphatase (organic phosphate hydrolysing) were influenced by time since pine removal and by pine density at removal via effects on biotic communities. In comparison, Mn‐peroxidase (lignin oxidising) was positively correlated with density of pines at removal and was negatively correlated with time since removal and was only influenced by fungal communities. Synthesis . The recovery of soil enzymatic function following invasive species removal is slow and dependent on pine legacies through the gradual changes in fungal and bacterial communities. The cascading effects of these changes suggest potential implications for the success of future plant establishment and restoration of co‐invaded ecosystems.
Publisher: New Zealand Ecological Society
Date: 09-06-2022
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2010
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 12-06-2021
DOI: 10.1111/NPH.17455
Abstract: There is current debate on how soil s le pooling affects the measurement of plant–soil feedbacks. Several studies have suggested that pooling soil s les among experimental units reduces variance and can bias estimates of plant–soil feedbacks. However, it is unclear whether pooling has resulted in systematic mismeasurement of plant–soil feedbacks in the literature. Using data from 71 experiments, we tested whether pairwise plant–soil feedback direction, magnitude and variance differed among soil pooling treatments. We also tested whether pooling has altered our understanding of abiotic and biotic drivers that influence pairwise plant–soil feedbacks. Pooling of soil s les among experimental units was used in 42% of examined experiments. Contrary to predictions, pooling did not affect mean pairwise plant–soil feedback effect size or within‐experiment variance. Accounting for soil s le pooling also did not significantly alter our understanding of the drivers of pairwise plant–soil feedbacks. We conclude that there is no evidence that soil s le pooling systematically biases estimates of plant–soil feedback direction, magnitude, variance or drivers across many studies. Given the debate of whether to pool soil s les, researchers should be aware of potential criticisms and carefully consider how experimental design and soil pooling methods influence interpretation of experiments.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 29-10-2022
DOI: 10.1111/NPH.17797
Abstract: Interactions between in idual plant pathogens and their environment have been described many times. However, the relative contribution of different environmental parameters as controls of pathogen communities remains largely unknown. Here we investigate the importance of environmental factors, including geomorphology, climate, land use, soil and plant community composition, for a broad range of aboveground and belowground fungal, oomycete and bacterial plant pathogens. We found that plant community composition is the main driver of the composition and richness of plant pathogens after taking into account all other tested parameters, especially those related to climate and soil. In the face of future changes in climate and land use, our results suggest that changes in plant pathogen community composition and richness will primarily be mediated through changes in plant communities, rather than the direct effects of climate or soils.
Publisher: eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd
Date: 04-03-2020
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 21-10-2016
DOI: 10.1111/NPH.14268
Start Date: 2018
End Date: 12-2020
Amount: $313,332.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
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