Browsing by Author "Serafim, Cindy"
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- Benefits of ectomycorrhizal inoculation of tilia tomentosa seedlings on plant growth and vigor depends on substrate pHPublication . Serafim, Cindy; Ramos, Miguel A.; Yilmaz, Tugce; Sousa, Nadine; Castro, Paula M. L.
- Detection and quantification by real-time PCR of ectomycorrhizal fungi in inoculum formulations for urban trees applicationPublication . Serafim, Cindy; Ramos, Miguel; Castro, Paula Lima; Sousa, NadineBackground: Urban trees are key elements in mitigating the common environmental problems in urban areas, through provisioning crucial ecosystem services such as air quality improvement, decrease of water runoff and microclimate mitigation. Because of their well-known host tree benefits, Ectomycorrhizal Fungi (EcM) may play an important role in urban tree management, improving tree vigor, and thus the extent and resilience of ecosystem services delivered by urban trees under stress. Therefore it is important to develop dedicated EcM-inocula to improve urban tree health and its associated ecosystem service delivery. To support the study of the effect of inoculum application in urban context it is necessary to establish new biotechnology tools and test their efficacy in laboratory trials. The major aims of this work were (i) to isolate EcM species known to associate with the selected tree species chosen (Tilia tomentosa) and (ii) to develop and test (in situ & ex situ) a specific RT-qPCR assays for detection and quantification of ectomycorrhizal RNA. The latter will allow fast, quantitative monitoring of the selected target species over time, space or different environmental conditions and can be directly applied to RNA samples from in-vitro and field experiments. Method: Two key-criteria were used in the fungi species selection: EcM species that are present on healthy urban trees, but absent on the unhealthy ones; and (ii) EcM species from forest/old park trees that are not found on the unhealthy street trees. Fungi were isolated from Northern Portugal and identified by molecular techniques (DNA extraction, PCR, sequencing). For each fungal species selected, a real-time reverse-transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) assay was developed based on the ITS sequences available in NCBI and UNITED data base enabling specific monitoring and quantification of viable or active EcM of interest during the experiments that will be conducted. Results & Conclusions: Ten new fungal isolates were successfully isolated, comprising the genera Russula, Pisolithus and Paxillus. The standard curves obtained for mycelial quantification of the chosen EcM species satisfy the requirements for real-time PCR, showing high reaction efficiency. Under the conditions established in the present work, mycelium concentration was detectable to levels adequate for biomass in situ quantification.
- Ectomycorrhizal fungi help the establishment of Quercus suber plantations under abiotic stress conditionsPublication . Serafim, Cindy; Ramos, Miguel; Egas, Conceição; Améglio, Thierry; Castro, Paula
- Ectomycorrhizal fungi inocula optimization to aid the health status of trees in the everchanging environment of citiesPublication . Serafim, Cindy; Ramos, Miguel A.; Améglio, Thierry; Castro, Paula M. L.
- Non-invasive monitoring of stress response of urban trees inoculated with EcMPublication . Serafim, Cindy; Ramos, Miguel; Yilmaz, Tugce; Sousa, Nadine; Castro, Paula M. L.
- Non-invasive monitoring of stress response of urban trees inoculated with EcMPublication . Serafim, Cindy; Ramos, Miguel A.; Yilmaz, Tugce; Sousa, Nadine; Castro, Paula M. L.
- Regacork: produção de plantas inoculadas em viveiro e monitorização em campoPublication . Serafim, Cindy; Ramos, Miguel A; Egas, Conceição; Castro, Paula M L
- Selection of high performance strains of edible mycorrhizal fungi for improved abiotic stress resistancePublication . Ramos, Miguel A.; Serafim, Cindy; Sousa, Nadine R.; Castro, Paula M. L.
- Soil organic matter rather than ectomycorrhizal diversity is related to urban tree healthPublication . Geel, Maarten Van; Yu, Kang; Peeters, Gerrit; van Acker, Kasper; Ramos, Miguel; Serafim, Cindy; Kastendeuch, Pierre; Najjar, Georges; Ameglio, Thierry; Ngao, Jérôme; Saudreau, Marc; Castro, Paula; Somers, Ben; Honnay, OlivierUrban trees provide many ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration, air quality improvement, storm water attenuation and energy conservation, to people living in cities. Provisioning of ecosystem services by urban trees, however, may be jeopardized by the typically poor quality of the soils in urban areas. Given their well-known multifunctional role in forest ecosystems, ectomycorrhizal fungi (EcM) may also contribute to urban tree health and thus ecosystem service provisioning. Yet, no studies so far have directly related in situ EcM community composition to urban tree health indicators. Here, two previously collected datasets were combined: i) tree health data of 175 Tilia tomentosa trees from three European cities (Leuven, Strasbourg and Porto) estimated using a range of reflectance, chlorophyll fluorescence and physical leaf indicators, and ii) ectomycorrhizal diversity of these trees as characterized by next-generation sequencing. Tree health indicators were related to soil characteristics and EcM diversity using canonical redundancy analysis. Soil organic matter significantly explained variation in tree health indicators whereas no significant relation between mycorrhizal diversity variables and the tree health indicators was found. We conclude that mainly soil organic matter, through promoting soil aggregate formation and porosity, and thus indirectly tree water availability, positively affects the health of trees in urban areas. Our results suggest that urban planners should not overlook the importance of soil quality and its water holding capacity for the health of urban trees and potentially also for the ecosystem services they deliver. Further research should also study other soil microbiota which may independently, or in interaction with ectomycorrhiza, mediate tree performance in urban settings.
- Substrate pH mediates growth promotion and resilience to water stress of Tilia tomentosa seedlings after Ectomycorrhizal inoculationPublication . Serafim, Cindy; Ramos, Miguel A.; Yilmaz, Tugce; Sousa, Nadine R.; Yu, Kang; Geel, Maarten Van; Ceulemans, Tobias; Saudreau, Marc; Somers, Ben; Améglio, Thierry; Honnay, Olivier; Castro, Paula M. L.Colonization by Ectomycorrhizal (EcM) fungi is key for the health and performance of plants under different stress scenarios, such as those faced by trees in urban environments. Because urban environments can be lacking EcM fungi, we here assessed the benefits of inoculating Tilia tomentosa seedlings in a pre-transplantation nursery context with the EcM fungi Lactarius deliciosus and Paxillus involutus, using substrates of different pH and facing water-stress. P. involutus had a more evident positive effect in T. tomentosa seedlings and had a good performance in both acidic and alkaline substrate. In acidic substrate the fungus increased the plant height by 0.91-fold, increased the mycorrhization rate by 3.23-fold, expansion rate by 5.03-fold and formation of secondary roots by 0.46-fold, compared to the non-inoculated control. This species also improved the phosphorus content of leaves, which revealed a promotion of nutrient uptake. In alkaline substrate P. involutus increased root dry weight by 3.92-fold and the mycorrhization parameters. In contrast, L. deliciosus only had a positive effect in the improvement of mycorrhization and expansion rates and phosphorus content in the root, effects visible only in alkaline substrate. When exposed to water-stress the increase of proline content was visible in acidic substrate for both fungi, L. deliciosus and P. involutus, and in alkaline substrate for the fungus P. involutus, a response indicative of the enhancement of defenses in stressing scenarios such as water scarcity. We conclude that fungal inoculation improves the vigour and resilience of Tilia seedlings and that it is of utmost importance to select a suitable EcM fungus and to consider the soil pH of the transplanting site. The inoculation approach can be a valuable tool to produce robust seedlings which may have a better performance when transplanted to the challenging urban environment.