University of Tasmania
Browse

File(s) under permanent embargo

A fungal endophyte slows litter decomposition in streams

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-17, 12:03 authored by Leroy, CJ, Fischer, DG, Halstead, K, Pryor, M, Bailey, JK, Schweitzer, JA
1. Phyllosphere interactions are known to influence a variety of tree canopy community members, but less frequently have they been shown to affect processes across ecosystem boundaries. Here, we show that a fungal endophyte (Rhytisma punctatum) slows leaf litter decomposition of a dominant riparian tree species (Acer macrophyllum) in an adjacent stream ecosystem. 2. Patches of leaf tissue infected by R. punctatum show significantly slower decomposition compared to both nearby uninfected tissue from the same leaf, and completely uninfected leaves. These reduced rates of decomposition existed despite 50% greater nitrogen in infected tissues and may be driven by slower rates of decomposition for fungal tissues themselves or by endophyte–hyphomycete interactions. 3. Across a temperate forest in the Pacific Northwest, approximately 72% of all A. macrophyllum leaves were infected by R. punctatum. Since R. punctatum infection can influence leaf tissue on entire trees and large quantities of leaf litter at the landscape scale, this infection could potentially result in a mosaic of ‘cold spots’ of litter decomposition and altered nutrient cycling in riparian zones where this infection is prevalent.

History

Publication title

Freshwater Biology

Volume

56

Issue

7

Pagination

1426-1433

ISSN

0046-5070

Department/School

School of Natural Sciences

Publisher

Blackwell Publishing Ltd

Place of publication

9600 Garsington Rd, Oxford, England, Oxon, Ox4 2Dg

Rights statement

Copyright 2011 Blackwell Publishing

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Fresh, ground and surface water biodiversity

Usage metrics

    University Of Tasmania

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC