Exo- and endophytic fungi enable rapid transfer of nutrients from ant waste to orchid tissue

Autor(en)

Christian Gegenbauer, Anke Bellaire, Arno Schintlmeister, Markus C Schmid, Markus Kubicek, Hermann Voglmayr, Gerhard Zotz, Andreas Richter, Veronika Mayer

Abstrakt

The epiphytic orchid Caularthron bilamellatum sacrifices its water storage tissue for nutrients from the waste of ants lodging inside its hollow pseudobulb. Here, we investigate whether fungi are involved in the rapid translocation of nutrients. Uptake was analysed with a

¹⁵N labelling experiment, subsequent isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) and secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS and NanoSIMS). We encountered two hyphae types: a thick melanized type assigned to ‘black fungi’ (Chaetothyriales, Cladosporiales, and Mycosphaerellales) in ant waste, and a thin endophytic type belonging to Hypocreales. In few cell layers, both hyphae types co-occurred.

¹⁵N accumulation in both hyphae types was conspicuous, while for translocation to the vessels only Hypocreales were involved. There is evidence that the occurrence of the two hyphae types results in a synergism in terms of nutrient uptake. Our study provides the first evidence that a pseudobulb (=stem)-born endophytic network of Hypocreales is involved in the rapid translocation of nitrogen from insect-derived waste to the vegetative and reproductive tissue of the host orchid. For C. bilamellatum that has no contact with the soil, ant waste in the hollow pseudobulbs serves as equivalent to soil in terms of nutrient sources.

Organisation(en)

Department für Funktionelle und Evolutionäre Ökologie, Großgeräteeinrichtung für Umwelt- und Isotopen-Massenspektrometrie, Department für Mikrobiologie und Ökosystemforschung, Department für Botanik und Biodiversitätsforschung

Externe Organisation(en)

Technische Universität Wien, Universität für Bodenkultur Wien, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

Journal

New Phytologist

Band

238

Seiten

2210-2223

Anzahl der Seiten

14

ISSN

0028-646X

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.18761

Publikationsdatum

2023

Peer-reviewed

Ja

ÖFOS 2012

106008 Botanik, 106024 Mykologie, 106030 Pflanzenökologie, 106054 Zoologie

Schlagwörter

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Physiology, Plant Science

Link zum Portal

https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/de/publications/797375e1-e247-4a55-bd03-7ba788ad0d8d