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The Cardinal Edge

Program/Event

Undergraduate Research Showcase Spring 2025

Abstract

Effects of Salinity on interactions between Epichloë amarillans and Fusarium spp. In American Beachgrass

Emma Mills, Dylan Habeeb, Natalie Christian, Connor Morozumi

Epichloë is a well-known genus of vertically transmitted fungal endophytes in many species of grasses. In Ammophila breviligulata (American beachgrass), Epichloë amarillans is a key endophyte species known to cause chemical and morphological changes to its host and provide protection from stressors. Additionally, Epichloë is thought to influence fungal endophyte community composition within its host. However, deepening research on the interaction of Epichloë with coexisting fungal endophytes may shed further light on its role in community composition. Additionally, little is known about the effects of stress conditions on the interactions within these fungal communities. This project analyzed the changing interactions between Epichloë amarillans and three species of the fungal family Fusarium, all originally cultured from Ammophila breviligulata, under conditions of salinity stress – a common obstacle for the coastal dune-colonizing Ammophila host. While results are still being analyzed, the preliminary findings of this experiment suggest a negative correlation between salinity concentration and fungal growth in at least one of the evaluated Fusarium species as well as in Epichloe amarillans. In the face of global climate change and sea level rise, saline conditions in coastal ecosystems may be subject to unpredictable change. This study, coupled with further research, may have implications for managing coastal vegetation resilience, including strategies such as inoculating restoration plantings with stress-tolerant endophytes to increase resilience to these stressors in the face of climate uncertainty.

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