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A Culture-independent Approach to Understanding the Role of Soil Fungal Communities in Bromus tectorum Stand Failure
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  • Nathan Ricks,
  • Taryn Williamson,
  • Susan Meyer,
  • John Chaston,
  • Craig Coleman
Nathan Ricks
Brigham Young University

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Taryn Williamson
Brigham Young University
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Susan Meyer
USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station
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John Chaston
Brigham Young University
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Craig Coleman
Brigham Young University
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Abstract

Bromus tectorum (cheatgrass) is an invasive annual grass that has colonized large portions of the Intermountain Western United States. Cheatgrass stand failures have been observed throughout the invaded region, the cause of which may be related to the presence of several species of pathogenic fungi in the soil or surface litter. In this metagenomic study, we compared the fungal communities between sites that have and have not experienced stand failure. Samples were taken from the soil and surface litter near Winnemucca, Nevada and in Skull Valley, Utah. Our results show distinct fungal communities associated with stand failure based on both geography and sample type. In both the Winnemucca and Skull Valley surface litter, there was an elevated abundance of the endophyte Ramimonilia apicalis in samples that had experienced a stand failure. Winnemucca surface litter stand failure samples had increased abundance of a potential pathogen in the genus Comoclathris. Skull Valley surface litter stand failure samples had increased abundance of the known cheatgrass pathogen Clarireedia capillus-albis while the soils had increased abundance of potential pathogens in the genera Olpidium and Monosporascus.
26 Oct 2020Submitted to MicrobiologyOpen
27 Oct 2020Submission Checks Completed
27 Oct 2020Assigned to Editor
04 Nov 2020Reviewer(s) Assigned
14 Nov 2020Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
14 Nov 2020Editorial Decision: Revise Major
30 Nov 20201st Revision Received
03 Dec 2020Assigned to Editor
03 Dec 2020Submission Checks Completed
03 Dec 2020Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
03 Dec 2020Reviewer(s) Assigned
10 Dec 2020Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
14 Dec 20202nd Revision Received
16 Dec 2020Assigned to Editor
16 Dec 2020Submission Checks Completed
16 Dec 2020Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
16 Dec 2020Editorial Decision: Accept
Jan 2021Published in MicrobiologyOpen volume 10 issue 1. 10.1002/mbo3.1155