Pyrophilous fungi detected after wildfires in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park expand known species ranges and biodiversity estimates

Hughes, Karen W.; Matheny, P. Brandon; Miller, Andrew N.; Petersen, Ronald H.; Iturriaga, Teresa; Johnson, Kelly; Methven, Andrew S.; Raudabaugh, Daniel B.; Swenie, Rachel A.; Bruns, Thomas D.

doi:10.1080/00275514.2020.1740381

Cited by 27 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 91 publications

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“…Pyrophilous (fire‐loving) fungi are a well‐known, ecological guild of fungi that are restricted to post‐fire environments and fruit abundantly in months immediately following fire (Petersen 1970, Hughes et al ., 2020). Because of their predicable occurrence after fire, they almost certainly need to be able to interact with post‐fire soil chemistry.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Comparative genomics of pyrophilous fungi reveals a link between fire events and developmental genes

Steindorff

Carver

Calhoun

et al. 2020

Environmental Microbiology

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Summary Forest fires generate a large amount of carbon that remains resident on the site as dead and partially ‘pyrolysed’ (i.e. burnt) material that has long residency times and constitutes a significant pool in fire‐prone ecosystems. In addition, fire‐induced hydrophobic soil layers, caused by condensation of pyrolysed waxes and lipids, increase post‐fire erosion and can lead to long‐term productivity losses. A small set of pyrophilous fungi dominate post‐fire soils and are likely to be involved with the degradation of all these compounds, yet almost nothing is currently known about what these fungi do or the metabolic processes they employ. In this study, we sequenced and analysed genomes from fungi isolated after Rim fire near Yosemite National Park in 2013 and showed the enrichment/expansion of CAZymes and families known to be involved in fruiting body initiation when compared to other basidiomycete fungi. We found gene families potentially involved in the degradation of the hydrophobic layer and pyrolysed organic matter, such as hydrophobic surface binding proteins, laccases (AA1_1), xylanases (GH10, GH11), fatty acid desaturases and tannases. Thus, pyrophilous fungi are important actors to restate the soil's functional capabilities.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is important to note that pyrophilous fungi fruits are found only in burned habitats and are abundant in the first weeks, months or years after fire (Bruns et al, 2020, Hughes et al, 2020, Petersen, 1970, not necessarily right after the event. At first glance, the causal relationship between fire events and fruiting body development seems circumstantial.…”

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confidence: 99%

Comparative genomics of pyrophilous fungi reveals a link between fire events and developmental genes

Steindorff

Carver

Calhoun

et al. 2020

Environmental Microbiology

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“…Although their dominance is relatively short-lived in the post-fire community, Pyronema grow rapidly post-fire, producing abundant biomass in the form of ascocarps and mycelia [15, 24–26]. Competition may explain the short-lived dominance of Pyronema as it appears to be a weak competitor in isolation [28].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Several common soil fungi have also been shown to degrade polyaromatic compounds [18]. These fungi include Neurospora crassa , which emerges from burned wood shortly after fire, and Morchella conica , which is a relative of pyrophilous Morchella species that often co-occur with Pyronema species [21–24].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Fruiting bodies of the genus Pyronema are among the first macrofungi to emerge from burned soil, doing so within weeks to months after fire [15, 24–26] (Figure 1 A&B). There are currently only two described species of Pyronema : P. domesticum and P. omphalodes (= P. confluens ), both of which rapidly dominate post-fire fungal communities [15].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Pyrolyzed substrates induce aromatic compound metabolism in the post-fire fungus,Pyronema domesticum

Fischer¹,

Stark²,

Berry

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Wildfires represent a fundamental and profound disturbance in many ecosystems, and their frequency and severity are increasing in many regions of the world. Fire affects soil by removing carbon in the form of CO2 and transforming remaining surface carbon into pyrolyzed organic material (PyOM). Fires also generate substantial necromass at depths where the heat kills soil organisms but does not catalyze the formation of PyOM. Pyronema species strongly dominate soil fungal communities within weeks to months after fire. However, the carbon pool (i.e. necromass or PyOM) that fuels their rise in abundance is unknown. We used a Pyronema domesticum isolate from the catastrophic 2013 Rim Fire (CA, USA) to ask if P. domesticum is capable of metabolizing PyOM. P. domesticum grew readily on agar media where the sole carbon source was PyOM (specifically, pine wood PyOM produced at 750 °C). Using RNAseq, we investigated the response of P. domesticum to PyOM and observed a comprehensive induction of genes involved in the metabolism and mineralization of aromatic compounds, typical of those found in PyOM. Lastly, we used 13C-labeled 750 °C PyOM to demonstrate that P. domesticum is capable of mineralizing PyOM to CO2. Collectively, our results indicate a robust potential for P. domesticum to liberate carbon from PyOM in post-fire ecosystems and return it to the bioavailable carbon pool.

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Towards consolidation of Gymnopilus taxonomy: the case of G. stabilis, G. sapineus, and G. penetrans

et al. 2022

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Pyrophilous fungi detected after wildfires in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park expand known species ranges and biodiversity estimates

Cited by 27 publications

References 91 publications

Comparative genomics of pyrophilous fungi reveals a link between fire events and developmental genes

Comparative genomics of pyrophilous fungi reveals a link between fire events and developmental genes

Pyrolyzed substrates induce aromatic compound metabolism in the post-fire fungus,Pyronema domesticum

Towards consolidation of Gymnopilus taxonomy: the case of G. stabilis, G. sapineus, and G. penetrans

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