A habitat colonisation model for spore-dispersed organisms—Does it work with eumycetozoans?

Schnittler, Martin; Tesmer, Jens

doi:10.1016/j.mycres.2008.01.012

Cited by 32 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…In Saxony, the unsuitable habitats separating the ravines – up to 20 km – do not seem to constitute an obstacle. According to a general colonization model for spore-dispersed organisms [55], one should expect short-term advantages for asexually reproducing populations in an ecosystem made of island habitats and our results seem to confirm this model. In previous studies of the reproductive system of populations of Didymium iridis , it has been suggested that asexual and sexual strains are sympatric in Central America [27].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

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Genetic Structure of Two Protist Species (Myxogastria, Amoebozoa) Suggests Asexual Reproduction in Sexual Amoebae

Fiore-Donno

Novozhilov²,

Meyer³

et al. 2011

PLoS ONE

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Plasmodial slime molds (Myxogastria or Myxomycetes) are common and widespread unicellular organisms that are commonly assumed to have a sexual life cycle culminating with the formation of often macroscopic fruiting bodies that efficiently disseminate spores. However, laboratory studies based on mating compatibility revealed the coexistence of asexual as well as sexual strains. To test this hypothesis in natural populations, we investigated the genetic variability of two species of the genus Lamproderma. Detailed ecological relevés were carried out in 2007 and 2009 in several deep ravines in the Elbsandsteingebirge (Saxony, south-eastern Germany). Morphological characters of 93 specimens of Lamproderma were recorded and genetic analyses, based on the small subunit ribosomal gene, the internal transcribed spacer 1 and partial elongation factor 1α sequences were carried out for 52 specimens. Genetic analyses showed the existence of two major clades, each composed of several discrete lineages. Most of these lineages were composed of several identical sequences (SSU, ITS 1 and EF-1α) which is explained best by an asexual mode of reproduction. Detrended Correspondence Analysis of morphological characters revealed two morphospecies that corresponded to the two major clades, except for one genotype (Lc6), thus challenging the morphospecies concept. Genetic patterns were not related to the geographical distribution: specimens belonging to the same genotype were found in distinct ravines, suggesting effective long-distance dispersal via spores, except for the Lc6 genotype which was found only in one ravine. Implications for the morphological and biological species concept are discussed.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

“…This indicates that the huge amount of produced spores, estimated between 10 5 and 10 6 per sporocarp [55], with usually 10 2 and 10 3 sporocarps per colony, is an efficient way of dispersal. Spores may be carried over large distances, as indicated for the genotype Lc7, present in Saxony and in France.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic Structure of Two Protist Species (Myxogastria, Amoebozoa) Suggests Asexual Reproduction in Sexual Amoebae

Fiore-Donno

Novozhilov²,

Meyer³

et al. 2011

PLoS ONE

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“…Although the sporocarps produced by myxomycetes are somewhat suggestive of those produced by some higher fungi, they are considerably smaller (usually no more than 1-2 mm tall) and totally different in structure. The spores of the vast majority of myxomycetes range in size from 5 to 15 μm in diameter, with most species producing spores 10±2 μm in diameter (Schnittler and Tesmer 2008). Presumably, the spores are largely wind-dispersed and complete the life cycle by germinating to produce the uninucleate amoeboflagellate cells .…”

Section: Life Cyclementioning

confidence: 99%

From morphological to molecular: studies of myxomycetes since the publication of the Martin and Alexopoulos (1969) monograph

Stephenson

2011

Fungal Diversity

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Myxomycetes (plasmodial slime molds or myxogastrids) are a group of eukaryotic microorganisms usually present and sometimes abundant in terrestrial ecosystems. Because they produce aerial spore-bearing structures that resemble those of certain fungi and also typically occur in some of the same types of ecological situations as fungi, myxomycetes have been traditionally studied by mycologists, and this continued to be the case for the greater part of the twentieth century. However, there is now abundant molecular data to confirm that they are amoebozoans and not fungi. Efforts are currently underway to develop the first molecular phylogeny for myxomycetes, and several recent studies have used molecular techniques to detect the presence of these organisms in nature by means of direct environmental sampling.

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“…However, we expect many morphospecies recorded within these surveys to be composed of a number of at least partly asexual species. Especially in areas with vegetation forming habitat islands, like trees in the Tugai forests or litter accumulations in a semidesert, asexual forms should have a colonization advantage (Schnittler and Tesmer 2008), and first investigations on species of Lamproderma (Fiore-Donno et al 2011) hint on the frequent occurrence of asexual forms. If this holds true, arid ecosystems which guarantee effective dispersal of propagules like spores or microcysts by strong winds, should be especially rich in such forms and may be a reservoir of cryptic species still awaiting exact description.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Myxomycete diversity in the Tarim basin and eastern Tian-Shan, Xinjiang Prov., China

et al. 2012

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We report the results of a survey for myxomycetes in the Chinese province of Xinjiang, covering the northern part of the Tarim basin and the eastern Tian-Shan mountains. Sampling in the hyperarid Tarim basin focused on monospecific Tugai forests; these are park-like stands of the phreatophyte Populus euphratica. In a transect from the Tarim basin to the mountains, trees vanish outside the basin, but reoccur at ca. 1,400 m elevation as monospecific forests of Picea schrenkiana; the second focal area of the study. From a total of 362 substrate samples (245 from the Tarim basin, 177 from the mountains) we obtained 477 determinable records of myxomycetes, plus a total of 206 field collections, the latter almost exclusively from the spruce forests in the mountains. From the 80 taxa recorded 53 are represented by field collections, and 32 were found in moist chamber cultures; with a very low overlap in species assemblages found in the field and in cultures. Although receiving less than 50 mm annual precipitation, corticolous myxomycetes were common in the Tugai forests, with Physarum pseudonotabile ad. int., Didymium anellus, Echinostelium colliculosum and Protophysarum phloiogenum as the most common species. Compared to the Tarim basin (21 taxa) the mountains were much richer in myxomycetes (75 taxa), although the diversity recovered from cultures was comparable (21 vs. 28 taxa). Most species from the mountains fruited on decaying spruce, often collected under or even inside the logs due to the extremely dry air. Our results suggest first that there is no lower limit of annual precipitation for myxomycetes, as long as at least some days with nightly dew fall allow these organisms to complete their life cycle. Second, the two examples of surprisingly diverse myxomycete assemblages from monospecific forests demonstrate, that species richness of this group is not necessarily connected with plant diversity of the habitat. This survey is the most eastern of a large-scale study of myxomycete diversity throughout Middle and Central Asia.

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A habitat colonisation model for spore-dispersed organisms—Does it work with eumycetozoans?

Cited by 32 publications

References 39 publications

Genetic Structure of Two Protist Species (Myxogastria, Amoebozoa) Suggests Asexual Reproduction in Sexual Amoebae

Genetic Structure of Two Protist Species (Myxogastria, Amoebozoa) Suggests Asexual Reproduction in Sexual Amoebae

From morphological to molecular: studies of myxomycetes since the publication of the Martin and Alexopoulos (1969) monograph

Myxomycete diversity in the Tarim basin and eastern Tian-Shan, Xinjiang Prov., China

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