Saprotrophic Fungi in Restored Agricultural Plots
Session Number
Project ID: ENVR 03
Advisor(s)
Dr. Jennifer Bell; Northern Illinois University
Discipline
Environmental Science
Start Date
19-4-2023 10:05 AM
End Date
19-4-2023 10:20 AM
Abstract
Saprotrophic fungi decompose organic matter in soil microbial communities. Fungi break down organic matter into individual compounds via extracellular enzymes. Next, the fungi absorb these nutrients for use and growth. We researched saprotrophic communities in a tallgrass prairie restoration. We looked to see if they differed between monoculture or polyculture plots and whether they differed across the years since restoration, between 2016 to 2021. This research will determine if saprotrophic communities are different among ten different tallgrass prairie plant species or across monoculture and polyculture plots.
Soil Samples were collected from 2016-2021 from the Morton Arboretum. DNA samples were weighed, then the DNA was extracted and isolated from the soil. Afterward, the extracted DNA underwent the process of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) before being sent off to be sequenced. We discovered that fungal communities were significantly different between years (p = 0.001) and between monocultures and polycultures (p = 0.001). This data is important because the area of saprotrophic fungi study is relatively understudied. This research will also help determine how individual plants shape the fungal communities in tallgrass prairies and how they respond to restoration.
Saprotrophic Fungi in Restored Agricultural Plots
Saprotrophic fungi decompose organic matter in soil microbial communities. Fungi break down organic matter into individual compounds via extracellular enzymes. Next, the fungi absorb these nutrients for use and growth. We researched saprotrophic communities in a tallgrass prairie restoration. We looked to see if they differed between monoculture or polyculture plots and whether they differed across the years since restoration, between 2016 to 2021. This research will determine if saprotrophic communities are different among ten different tallgrass prairie plant species or across monoculture and polyculture plots.
Soil Samples were collected from 2016-2021 from the Morton Arboretum. DNA samples were weighed, then the DNA was extracted and isolated from the soil. Afterward, the extracted DNA underwent the process of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) before being sent off to be sequenced. We discovered that fungal communities were significantly different between years (p = 0.001) and between monocultures and polycultures (p = 0.001). This data is important because the area of saprotrophic fungi study is relatively understudied. This research will also help determine how individual plants shape the fungal communities in tallgrass prairies and how they respond to restoration.