Ecology and evolution of truffle fungi : the diversity of fungi associated with northern flying squirrels
Thesis (M.S.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2009 "This thesis explores the ecology of truffle fungi, a diverse assemblage of symbiotic mycorrhizal fungi that extend microscopic hyphae throughout forest floors, forming networks of foraging mycelium capable of transporting water, vitamins, mine...
Main Author: | |
---|---|
Format: | Thesis |
Language: | English |
Published: |
2009
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/11122/12797 |
id |
ftunivalaska:oai:scholarworks.alaska.edu:11122/12797 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftunivalaska:oai:scholarworks.alaska.edu:11122/12797 2023-05-15T18:03:32+02:00 Ecology and evolution of truffle fungi : the diversity of fungi associated with northern flying squirrels Bruner, Benjamin Luke 2009-05 http://hdl.handle.net/11122/12797 en_US eng http://hdl.handle.net/11122/12797 Department of Biology and WIldlife Truffles Mycorrhizal fungi Northern flying squirrel Animal-fungus relationships Plant-fungus relationships Prince of Wales Island Thesis ms 2009 ftunivalaska 2023-02-23T21:37:59Z Thesis (M.S.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2009 "This thesis explores the ecology of truffle fungi, a diverse assemblage of symbiotic mycorrhizal fungi that extend microscopic hyphae throughout forest floors, forming networks of foraging mycelium capable of transporting water, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients to the roots of plants. Plant sugars are used for energy and as raw material for the creation of complex reproductive structures and vast water and nutrient gathering infrastructures essential to the survival of most plants. Truffle fungi are defined here by their ability to form mycorrhiza and produce truffles: hypogeous sporocarps that are excavated and consumed by animals ranging from squirrels to humans, resulting in the long-distance transport of spores. In Chapter 1, I compile and synthesize published information on the evolution and ecology of truffle fungi. In Chapter 2, I describe molecular techniques used to extract, amplify, and characterize fungal DNA from the scat of an endemic island population of northern flying squirrels, Glaucomys sabrinus griseifrons, which specialize in the consumption of truffles. Statistical analysis of RFLP data from clones of fungal DNA indicates much higher levels of fungal diversity in G. s. griseifrons scat than expected. I argue that the estimated numbers of fungi associated with G. s. griseifrons represent a baseline of diversity for fungi associated with mainland populations of Glaucomys sabrinus"--Leaf iii UAF Cooperative Extension Service, College of Natural Science and Mathematics subgrant 65089-360163, Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service grant G000000268 Introduction -- 1. Evolution and ecology of truffle fungi -- 2. The diversity of fungi associated with northern flying squirrels -- Conclusions. Thesis Prince of Wales Island Alaska University of Alaska: ScholarWorks@UA Fairbanks Prince of Wales Island ENVELOPE(-99.001,-99.001,72.668,72.668) |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of Alaska: ScholarWorks@UA |
op_collection_id |
ftunivalaska |
language |
English |
topic |
Truffles Mycorrhizal fungi Northern flying squirrel Animal-fungus relationships Plant-fungus relationships Prince of Wales Island |
spellingShingle |
Truffles Mycorrhizal fungi Northern flying squirrel Animal-fungus relationships Plant-fungus relationships Prince of Wales Island Bruner, Benjamin Luke Ecology and evolution of truffle fungi : the diversity of fungi associated with northern flying squirrels |
topic_facet |
Truffles Mycorrhizal fungi Northern flying squirrel Animal-fungus relationships Plant-fungus relationships Prince of Wales Island |
description |
Thesis (M.S.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2009 "This thesis explores the ecology of truffle fungi, a diverse assemblage of symbiotic mycorrhizal fungi that extend microscopic hyphae throughout forest floors, forming networks of foraging mycelium capable of transporting water, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients to the roots of plants. Plant sugars are used for energy and as raw material for the creation of complex reproductive structures and vast water and nutrient gathering infrastructures essential to the survival of most plants. Truffle fungi are defined here by their ability to form mycorrhiza and produce truffles: hypogeous sporocarps that are excavated and consumed by animals ranging from squirrels to humans, resulting in the long-distance transport of spores. In Chapter 1, I compile and synthesize published information on the evolution and ecology of truffle fungi. In Chapter 2, I describe molecular techniques used to extract, amplify, and characterize fungal DNA from the scat of an endemic island population of northern flying squirrels, Glaucomys sabrinus griseifrons, which specialize in the consumption of truffles. Statistical analysis of RFLP data from clones of fungal DNA indicates much higher levels of fungal diversity in G. s. griseifrons scat than expected. I argue that the estimated numbers of fungi associated with G. s. griseifrons represent a baseline of diversity for fungi associated with mainland populations of Glaucomys sabrinus"--Leaf iii UAF Cooperative Extension Service, College of Natural Science and Mathematics subgrant 65089-360163, Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service grant G000000268 Introduction -- 1. Evolution and ecology of truffle fungi -- 2. The diversity of fungi associated with northern flying squirrels -- Conclusions. |
format |
Thesis |
author |
Bruner, Benjamin Luke |
author_facet |
Bruner, Benjamin Luke |
author_sort |
Bruner, Benjamin Luke |
title |
Ecology and evolution of truffle fungi : the diversity of fungi associated with northern flying squirrels |
title_short |
Ecology and evolution of truffle fungi : the diversity of fungi associated with northern flying squirrels |
title_full |
Ecology and evolution of truffle fungi : the diversity of fungi associated with northern flying squirrels |
title_fullStr |
Ecology and evolution of truffle fungi : the diversity of fungi associated with northern flying squirrels |
title_full_unstemmed |
Ecology and evolution of truffle fungi : the diversity of fungi associated with northern flying squirrels |
title_sort |
ecology and evolution of truffle fungi : the diversity of fungi associated with northern flying squirrels |
publishDate |
2009 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/11122/12797 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-99.001,-99.001,72.668,72.668) |
geographic |
Fairbanks Prince of Wales Island |
geographic_facet |
Fairbanks Prince of Wales Island |
genre |
Prince of Wales Island Alaska |
genre_facet |
Prince of Wales Island Alaska |
op_relation |
http://hdl.handle.net/11122/12797 Department of Biology and WIldlife |
_version_ |
1766174416011526144 |