Fungal endophytes of aquatic macrophytes: diverse host-generalists characterized by tissue preferences and geographic structure.

ABSTRACT: Most studies of endophytic symbionts have focused on terrestrial plants, neglecting the ecologically and economically important plants present in aquatic ecosystems. We evaluated the diversity, composition, host and tissue affiliations, and geographic structure of fungal endophytes associated with common aquatic plants in lentic waters in northern Arizona, USA. Endophytes were isolated in culture from roots and photosynthetic tissues during two growing seasons. A total of 226 isolates representing 60 putative species was recovered from 9,600 plant tissue segments. Although isolation frequency was low, endophytes were phylogenetically diverse and species-rich. Comparisons among the most thoroughly sampled species and reservoirs revealed that isolation frequency and diversity did not differ

SUBMITTER: Sandberg DC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3988250 | biostudies-literature | 2014 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature