Investigation of fungal root colonizers of the invasive plant Vincetoxicum rossicum and co-occurring local native plants in a field and woodland area in Southern Ontario

Abstract

Fungal communities forming associations with plant roots have generally been described as ranging from symbiotic to parasitic. Disruptions to these associations consequently can have significant impacts on native plant communities. We examined how invasion by Vincetoxicum rossicum, a plant native to Europe, can alter both the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, as well as the general fungal communities associating with native plant roots in both field and woodland sites in Southern Ontario. In two different sites in the Greater Toronto Area, we took advantage of invasion by V. rossicum and neighbouring uninvaded sites to investigate the fungal communities associating with local plant roots, including goldenrod (Solidago spp.), wild red raspberry (Rubus idaeus), Canada anemone (Anemone canadensis), meadow rue (Thalictrum dioicum), and wild ginger (Asarum canadense). Fungi colonizing roots were characterized with terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis of amplified total fungal (TF) and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) ribosomal fragments. We saw a significant effect of the presence of this invader on the diversity of TF phylotypes colonizing native plant roots, and a composition shift of both the TF and AMF community in native roots in both sites. In native communities invaded by V. rossicum, a significant increase in richness and colonization density of TF suggests that invaders such as V. rossicum may be able to influence the composition of soil fungi available to natives, possibly via mechanisms such as increased carbon provision or antibiosis attributable to unique root exudates. ReSeARCh ARtICle Launched to accelerate biodiversity conservation A peer-reviewed open-access journalCindy L. Bongard et al. / Nature Conservation 4: 55-75 (2013) 56

Are urban systems beneficial, detrimental, or indifferent for biological invasion?

“…As one would expect, this has been shown to have negative impacts on the diversity of other trophic levels (Ernst and Cappuccino 2005). Several studies have examined potential mechanisms driving invasion by V. rossicum throughout these regions [e.g., enemy release (Milbrath 2008), propagule pressure and fitness (Ladd and Cappuccino 2005), broad environmental niche breadth (DiTommaso et al 2005;Yasui 2016), associations with fungal generalists (Bongard et al 2013), novel allelopathic compounds (Douglass et al 2009), strong allee effect (Cappuccino 2004), a high degree of phenotypic plasticity (Yasui 2016), and toleration of low resources and significant local adaptation (Antunes and Sanderson 2013)]. Despite research showing that the vast majority of V. rossicum seeds fall relatively close to the parent plant (Ladd and Cappuccino 2005), occasional strong wind events can carry V. rossicum's feathery pappus-covered seeds significant distances leading to widespread invasion.…”

Urbanization and plant invasion alter the structure of litter microarthropod communities

“…DSV invasion has been shown to reduce richness and diversity of other trophic levels such as adjacent macroinvertebrate (Ernst & Cappuccino, 2005), microbial (Bugiel, Livingstone, Isaac, Fulthorpe, & Martin, 2018) and fungal communities (Day, Antunes, & Dunfield, 2015). These changes have been speculated to occur in part due to potential antibiotic properties of its root (‐)‐ antofine exudates (Bongard, Butler, & Fulthorpe, 2013) but invaded plots also have high volumes of DSV leaf litter which would affect the spatial structure of leaf litter of non‐DSV species, and thus food availability for litter‐inhabiting species. In this study, we evaluate the impact of urbanization and invasion on the taxonomic and ecological trait diversity of litter microarthropod communities and quantify beta diversity to determine the relative importance of nestedness and turnover in describing resulting patterns.…”

An experimental application of Hypena opulenta as a biocontrol agent for the invasive vine Vincetoxicum rossicum

“…The extremely problematic invasive vine, Vincetoxicum rossicum (Kleopow) Borhidi (Apocynaceae), commonly known as pale swallow‐wort or ‘dog‐strangling vine’, has spread aggressively through its invaded range of eastern North America, following its introduction in the late 1800s. With the spread and apparent impact of V. rossicum , understanding its distribution and ecology (Averill, DiTommaso, Mohler, & Milbrath, 2011; DiTommaso, Lawlor, & Darbyshire, 2005; Milbrath, Davis, & Biazzo, 2017; Miller & Kricsfalusy, 2007), the mechanisms driving its invasion (Bongard, Butler, & Fulthorpe, 2013; Cappuccino, 2004), its impact on ecosystems (Ernst & Cappuccino, 2005; Bugiel, Livingstone, Isaac, Fulthorpe, & Martin, 2018; Livingstone et al., in press) and the effectiveness of physical and chemical control (Averill et al., 2011) have all been important research priorities. V. rossicum is a perennial vine.…”

“…rossicum, understanding its distribution and ecology (Averill, DiTommaso, Mohler, & Milbrath, 2011;DiTommaso, Lawlor, & Darbyshire, 2005;Milbrath, Davis, & Biazzo, 2017;Miller & Kricsfalusy, 2007), the mechanisms driving its invasion (Bongard, Butler, & Fulthorpe, 2013;Cappuccino, 2004), its impact on ecosystems (Ernst & Cappuccino, 2005;Bugiel, Livingstone, Isaac, Fulthorpe, & Martin, 2018;Livingstone et al, in press) and the effectiveness of physical and chemical control (Averill et al, 2011) have all been important research priorities. V. rossicum is a perennial vine.…”