title: Unexpected diversity of basidiomycetous endophytes in sapwood and leaves of Hevea.
abstract: Research on fungal endophytes has expanded dramatically in recent years, but little is known about the diversity and ecological roles of endophytic basidiomycetes. Here we report the analysis of 310 basidiomycetous endophytes isolated from wild and planted populations of the rubber tree genus, Hevea. Species accumulation curves were nonasymptotic, as in the majority of endophyte surveys, indicating that more sampling is needed to recover the true diversity of the community. One hundred eighteen OTUs were delimited, representing nine orders of Basidiomycota (Agaricales, Atheliales, Auriculariales, Cantharellales, Hymenochaetales, Polyporales, Russulales, Septobasidiales, Tremellales). The diversity of basidiomycetous endophytes found inhabiting wild populations of Hevea was comparable to that present in plantations. However, when samples were segregated by tissue type, sapwood of wild populations was found to contain a higher number of species than sapwood of planted trees. Seventy-five percent of isolates were members of the Polyporales, the majority in the phlebioid clade. Most of the species belong to clades known to cause a white-rot type of wood decay. Two species in the insect-associated genus Septobasidium were isolated. The most frequently isolated genera included Bjerkandera, Ceriporia, Phanerochaete, Phlebia, Rigidoporus, Tinctoporellus, Trametes (Polyporales), Peniophora, Stereum (Russulales) and Coprinellus (Agaricales), all of which have been reported as endophytes from a variety of hosts, across wide geographic locations. Literature records on the geographic distribution and host association of these genera revealed that their distribution and substrate affinity could be extended if the endophytic niche was investigated as part of fungal biodiversity surveys.
authors.affiliation: Clark University, Biology Department, 950 Main Street, Worcester, Massachusetts 01610.
authors.forename: Rachael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.affiliation: Clark University, Biology Department, 950 Main Street, Worcester, Massachusetts 01610.
authors.forename: Romina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gazis
authors.affiliation: University of Maryland, Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, 2112 Plant Sciences Building, College Park, Maryland 20742.
authors.forename: Demetra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Skaltsas
authors.affiliation: University of Maryland, Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, 2112 Plant Sciences Building, College Park, Maryland 20742, and Universidad de Costa Rica, Escuela de Biología, Apdo. 11501-2060, San Pedro, San José, Costa Rica.
authors.forename: Priscila
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chaverri
authors.affiliation: Clark University, Biology Department, 950 Main Street, Worcester, Massachusetts 01610 DHibbett@clarku.edu.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hibbett
mesh_terms: D001487:Basidiomycota / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D044822:Biodiversity; D060026:Endophytes / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D028482:Hevea / Q000382:microbiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000382:microbiology*; D014934:Wood / Q000382:microbiology*
keywords: Polyporales; natural rubber; tropical fungi; white-rot fungi