Localised invertebrate grazing moderates the effect of warming on competitive fungal interactions

Outcomes of competitive mycelial interactions determine saprotrophic fungal community composition and are regulated by biotic (e.g. invertebrate grazing) and abiotic (e.g. climate) factors. Selective grazing can moderate the effects of elevated temperature on fungal interactions. In natural systems,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Fungal ecology 2013-04, Vol.6 (2), p.137-140
Main Authors: A'Bear, A. Donald, Crowther, Thomas W., Ashfield, Ryan, Chadwick, Daniel D.A., Dempsey, Joe, Meletiou, Louis, Rees, Cari L., Jones, T. Hefin, Boddy, Lynne
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
climate
Climate change
community structure
Decomposition
Ecosystem regulation
feeding preferences
fungal communities
Fungal community
fungi
grazing
Invertebrata
Isopoda
macroinvertebrates
mycelium
Oniscus asellus
saprotrophs
Soil biodiversity
Soil fauna
temperature
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Summary:Outcomes of competitive mycelial interactions determine saprotrophic fungal community composition and are regulated by biotic (e.g. invertebrate grazing) and abiotic (e.g. climate) factors. Selective grazing can moderate the effects of elevated temperature on fungal interactions. In natural systems, however, patchy and aggregative distributions of invertebrates exert unequal grazing pressures on competing fungi. We explored whether restricting grazing to the territory of one fungal competitor affected the potential of Oniscus asellus (Isopoda) to control the outcomes of interactions and mediate responses to elevated temperature. Restricted grazing prevented the dominance of any one fungal species in the majority of interactions and, indirectly, altered the influence of warming. The location of grazer restriction was, however, only important during certain interactions. Selective pressures reflected feeding preferences, but grazer location determined the extent of selective grazing pressure exerted. Aggregation of macro-invertebrate grazers appears important in maintaining multi-species assemblages of wood-decomposer fungi in a changing climate.
ISSN:1754-5048
DOI:10.1016/j.funeco.2013.01.001