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Harvard Forest REU Symposium Abstract 2010

• Title: Decomposer Fungi Diversity Decreases Under Nitrogen Deposition But Not Warming
• Author: Sam Perez (Harvard College (Harvard University))
• Abstract:

  The soil microbial community, which consists of bacteria, protists and fungi are responsible for mediating the decomposition of dead organic matter. The process of decomposition releases nutrients into the soil for other organisms to use in development, physiological processes and reproduction. There is growing evidence that global change resulting from human disturbance may increase, reduce or compromise certain natural processes. However, the effects of global change on soil decomposers as warming and nitrogen deposition increase have not been documented.
  
  To document a potential change in the species diversity of decomposer fungi, plots were exposed to high levels of nitrogen deposition and soil warming at the Harvard Forest in Petersham, Massachusetts. We collected fruiting bodies to make species counts for the nitrogen deposition plots (control, low N deposition and high N deposition) and the soil warming plots (control, +5°C above ambient temperature). We took cultures of the fungi and slime molds found in the plots. There were lower numbers of species in the plots exposed to higher levels of nitrogen deposition than the control plots with no deposition. However, the number of species for the warming plots were unchanged in comparison to the control plot. This suggests that the effects of global change on the microbial community may affect the species composition significantly or not at all depending on the types of future global change.

• Research Category: Biodiversity Studies