The USGS is developing innovative Phragmites control measures to keep this rapidly spreading invasive plant from further expanding its range into new wetland habitats and to aid in the development of successful restoration strategies. Scientists are conducting studies and field tests to determine (1) if microbes (i.e., fungi and bacteria) that live within and around Phragmites are enabling the plant to take over habitat used by native plants, (2) whether a disruption of these plant-microbe interactions can be used as an effective control strategy for Phragmites, thus adding another tool for land managers to use in the Phragmites control toolbox, and (3) whether Phragmites expansion creates microbial legacies that complicate native plant restoration after removal.
All plants interact with a diverse suite of microbes, including fungi and bacteria, throughout all stages of their life cycle. These microbes may surround the roots in the soil, live on plant tissues (epiphytes), or live inside the plant (i.e., endophytes). Plant-microbial relationships span a spectrum from beneficial to antagonistic. Microbes also are thought to confer many benefits to plants, thereby increasing their growth, stress tolerance, and competitive ability. Specifically, USGS researchers are seeking to understand the microbes associated with the non-native Phragmites australis (common reed) and the benefits they confer to their host. The non-native Phragmites australis (common reed) continues to invade fish and wildlife habitats across the Great Lakes Region, but it isn’t clear what role microbes play in its ability to outcompete native plants and whether manipulation of these microbes can be part of a new sustainable management approach for Phragmites. Therefore, researchers at the USGS Great Lakes Science Center (GLSC) and other public and private institutions including, Tulane University, Louisiana State University, and Rutgers University formed the Phragmites Symbiosis Collaborative to examine the role of endophytes in both the success of invasive Phragmites and as a potential mechanism for restoring native plant assemblages. Using this collaborative approach, participating scientists are coordinating research efforts to develop comprehensive microbe-based Phragmites control treatments that are not only effective at killing Phragmites but can facilitate establishment of native species post-treatment, thereby improving restoration activities. Currently, researchers are working to continue development and field testing of a non-toxic bioherbicide. This investigation aims to identify ways to manipulate the Phragmites endophyte community through application of naturally occurring substances to promote microbial species that induce plant death and facilitate decomposition, thus returning nutrients to the soil and improving native species establishment.
Partners
- Tulane University
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Louisiana State University
This project is part of the USGS Great Lakes Science Center’s wetlands research. Visit our page Innovative Approaches for Wetland Restoration and Invasive Species Management | U.S. Geological Survey (usgs.gov) to learn about more collaborative research projects.
Data related to this science
Histochemical study of nitrogen-transfer endosymbiosis
Effects of fungal endophytes on invasive Phragmites australis (ssp. australis) performance in growth chamber and field experiments at the Indiana University Research and Teaching Preserve (N 39.217, W −86.540) (2018)
Reference genome for Phragmites australis (Poaceae, subfamily Arundinoideae) and comparison of North American invasive genotype (ssp. australis) and native (ssp. americanus)
Data collected to support research on grass crop growth promotion and biostimulation by endophytic bacteria
Soil microbes surrounding native and non-native Phragmites australis in the Great Lakes and East Coast of the United States (2015-2017 survey)
The effects of North American fungi and bacteria on Phragmites australis leaves 2017-2019, with comparisons to the global Phragmites microbiome
Native and Invasive Species Plant Growth and Mortality in Growth Media Inoculated with Bacteria Found on Phragmites From New Jersey (2016)
Publications related to this research
Genetic analysis of North American Phragmites australis guides management approaches
Histochemical evidence for nitrogen‐transfer Endosymbiosis in non‐photosynthetic cells of leaves and inflorescence bracts of angiosperms
Fungal endophyte effects on invasive Phragmites australis performance in field and growth chamber environments
Novel genome characteristics contribute to the invasiveness of Phragmites australis (common reed)
Endophytic bacteria in grass crop growth promotion and biostimulation
Differences in rhizosphere microbial communities between native and non‐native Phragmites australis may depend on stand density
Growth and behavior of North American microbes on Phragmites australis leaves
Intraspecific and biogeographical variation in foliar fungal communities and pathogen damage of native and invasive Phragmites australis
Review: Endophytic microbes and their potential applications in crop management
Seed-vectored microbes: Their roles in improving seedling fitness and competitor plant suppression
Manipulating wild and tamed phytobiomes: Challenges and opportunities
Root endophytes and invasiveness: no difference between native and non‐native Phragmites in the Great Lakes Region
Software related to this science
Data analysis and figures for Differences in Rhizosphere Microbial Communities Between Native and Non-Native Phragmites australis May Depend on Stand Density
News items related to this science
- Overview
The USGS is developing innovative Phragmites control measures to keep this rapidly spreading invasive plant from further expanding its range into new wetland habitats and to aid in the development of successful restoration strategies. Scientists are conducting studies and field tests to determine (1) if microbes (i.e., fungi and bacteria) that live within and around Phragmites are enabling the plant to take over habitat used by native plants, (2) whether a disruption of these plant-microbe interactions can be used as an effective control strategy for Phragmites, thus adding another tool for land managers to use in the Phragmites control toolbox, and (3) whether Phragmites expansion creates microbial legacies that complicate native plant restoration after removal.
Beneficial endophytes (microbes living in plants) have been shown to enhance Phragmites performance compared to those grown without (Ernst et al. 2003). (Public domain.) All plants interact with a diverse suite of microbes, including fungi and bacteria, throughout all stages of their life cycle. These microbes may surround the roots in the soil, live on plant tissues (epiphytes), or live inside the plant (i.e., endophytes). Plant-microbial relationships span a spectrum from beneficial to antagonistic. Microbes also are thought to confer many benefits to plants, thereby increasing their growth, stress tolerance, and competitive ability. Specifically, USGS researchers are seeking to understand the microbes associated with the non-native Phragmites australis (common reed) and the benefits they confer to their host. The non-native Phragmites australis (common reed) continues to invade fish and wildlife habitats across the Great Lakes Region, but it isn’t clear what role microbes play in its ability to outcompete native plants and whether manipulation of these microbes can be part of a new sustainable management approach for Phragmites. Therefore, researchers at the USGS Great Lakes Science Center (GLSC) and other public and private institutions including, Tulane University, Louisiana State University, and Rutgers University formed the Phragmites Symbiosis Collaborative to examine the role of endophytes in both the success of invasive Phragmites and as a potential mechanism for restoring native plant assemblages. Using this collaborative approach, participating scientists are coordinating research efforts to develop comprehensive microbe-based Phragmites control treatments that are not only effective at killing Phragmites but can facilitate establishment of native species post-treatment, thereby improving restoration activities. Currently, researchers are working to continue development and field testing of a non-toxic bioherbicide. This investigation aims to identify ways to manipulate the Phragmites endophyte community through application of naturally occurring substances to promote microbial species that induce plant death and facilitate decomposition, thus returning nutrients to the soil and improving native species establishment.
Microbes can perform as both mutualists (mutually beneficial) andpathogens (disease causing). The role they play can have an important impact on a plant’s performancein the field. (Public domain.) Partners
- Tulane University
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Louisiana State University
Banner for the Phragmites australis page. Credit: Taaja Tucker-Silva, USGS. This project is part of the USGS Great Lakes Science Center’s wetlands research. Visit our page Innovative Approaches for Wetland Restoration and Invasive Species Management | U.S. Geological Survey (usgs.gov) to learn about more collaborative research projects.
- Data
Data related to this science
Histochemical study of nitrogen-transfer endosymbiosis
Plant roots have the best-understood mutualisms with microbes, but leaf and bract cell endosymbiosis have not been previously reported. Leaf and bract cells of more than 30 species in 18 families of seed plants were surveyed for the presence of intracellular bacteria and several experiments were designed to find and analyze nutrient exchanges between bacteria and plant cells. This dataset containsEffects of fungal endophytes on invasive Phragmites australis (ssp. australis) performance in growth chamber and field experiments at the Indiana University Research and Teaching Preserve (N 39.217, W −86.540) (2018)
These data tables contain data collections from field experiments of Phragmites australis (ssp. australis) treated with known fungal endophytes. Tiller counts, tiller diameter, and tiller height measurements were taken every two weeks over an eight-week study period. Clones of Phragmites plants were collected from three different locations: Sandusky, Michigan; Bloomington, Indiana; and the OttawaReference genome for Phragmites australis (Poaceae, subfamily Arundinoideae) and comparison of North American invasive genotype (ssp. australis) and native (ssp. americanus)
These data represent the first reference genome for the invasive Phragmites australis ssp. australis (1.14 giga base pairs (Gbp)), as well as output from comparative genomic and transcriptomic analyses for invasive and native genotypes coexisting in the Great Lakes region of North America. Genome sequencing data used tillers and associated rhizome tissues collected from a single P. australis patchData collected to support research on grass crop growth promotion and biostimulation by endophytic bacteria
These data show grass crop and model species response to toxic chemicals (Arsenic (As)) and humic acids. Experiments were performed by collaboration between the U.S. Geological Survey, Rutgers University, and Rey Juan Carlos University. A series of individual experiments investigated beneficial effects of endophytic bacteria on grass crop growth and resilience to known plant toxicity.Soil microbes surrounding native and non-native Phragmites australis in the Great Lakes and East Coast of the United States (2015-2017 survey)
To determine the differences in soil microbial community composition between native and non-native lineages of Phragmites, we sampled soils from eight sites in the Great Lakes basin where populations of native and non-native Phragmites co-occurred. In addition, we included samples of soils from 27 populations of Phragmites across the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Coasts of the US. Samples were colleThe effects of North American fungi and bacteria on Phragmites australis leaves 2017-2019, with comparisons to the global Phragmites microbiome
The data document the results of several microbe bioassays performed by the USGS on Phragmites australis plants, including those performed on mature leaves, seedlings, and dead leaf tissues exploration of the literature to find accounts of microbes associated with Phragmites worldwide. For the bioassays, we prepared 162 pure cultures isolated from Phragmites plants in North America along the eastNative and Invasive Species Plant Growth and Mortality in Growth Media Inoculated with Bacteria Found on Phragmites From New Jersey (2016)
Bacteria were isolated from seeds of non-native Phragmites australis (haplotype M) then representatives were evaluated for their capacities to become intracellular in root cells, and their effects on: 1.) germination rates and seedling growth, 2.) susceptibility to damping-off disease, and 3.) mortality and growth of competitor plant seedlings (dandelion (Taraxacum officionale F. H. Wigg) and curl - Publications
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Filter Total Items: 26Genetic analysis of North American Phragmites australis guides management approaches
Phragmites australis subsp. australis is an invasive and ecologically detrimental plant in multiple regions of North America. Its co-occurrence with the native subspecies, and multiple instances of hybridization, has created the need to differentiate Phragmites subspecies or haplotypes so that management can be appropriately targeted to the invader. We compiled a review of current genetic discrimiAuthorsDenise L. Lindsay, Joanna Freeland, Ping Gong, Xin Guan, Nathan E Harms, Kurt P. Kowalski, Richard F. Lance, Dong-Ha Oh, Bradley T Sartain, Douglas L WendellHistochemical evidence for nitrogen‐transfer Endosymbiosis in non‐photosynthetic cells of leaves and inflorescence bracts of angiosperms
We used light and confocal microscopy to visualize bacteria in leaf and bract cells of more than 30 species in 18 families of seed plants. Through histochemical analysis, we detected hormones (including ethylene and nitric oxide), superoxide, and nitrogenous chemicals (including nitric oxide and nitrate) around bacteria within plant cells. Bacteria were observed in epidermal cells, various filamenAuthorsApril Micci, Qiuwei Zhang, Xiaoqian Chang, Kathryn Kingsley, Linsey Park, Peerapol Chiaranunt, Raquele Strickland, Fernando Velazquez, Sean Lindert, Matthew T. Elmore, Philip L. Vines, Sharron Crane, Ivelisse Irizarry, Kurt P. Kowalski, David Johnston-Monje, James F. WhiteFungal endophyte effects on invasive Phragmites australis performance in field and growth chamber environments
Manipulating plant microbiomes may provide control of invasive species. Invasive Phragmites australis has spread rapidly in North American wetlands, causing significant declines in native biodiversity. To test microbiome effects on host growth, we inoculated four common fungal endophytes into replicated Phragmites genotypes and monitored their growth in field and growth chamber environments. InocuAuthorsQuynh N Quach, Thomas T Thrasher, Kurt P. Kowalski, Keith ClayNovel genome characteristics contribute to the invasiveness of Phragmites australis (common reed)
The rapid invasion of the non-native Phragmites australis (Poaceae, subfamily Arundinoideae) is a major threat to native wetland ecosystems in North America and elsewhere. We describe the first reference genome for P. australis and compare invasive (ssp. australis) and native (ssp. americanus) genotypes collected from replicated populations across the Laurentian Great Lakes to deduce genomic basesAuthorsDong-Ha Oh, Kurt P. Kowalski, Quynh Quach, Chathura Wijesinghege, Philippa Tanford, Maheshi Dassanayake, Keith ClayEndophytic bacteria in grass crop growth promotion and biostimulation
Plants naturally carry microbes on seeds and within seeds that may facilitate development and early survival of seedlings. Some crops have lost seed-vectored microbes in the process of domestication or during seed storage and seed treatment. Biostimulant microbes from wild plants were used by pre-modern cultures to re-acquire beneficial seed microbes. Today some companies have developed or are deAuthorsJames F. White, Xiaoqian Chang, Kathryn L. Kingsley, Qiuwei Zhang, Peerapol Chiaranunt, April Micci, Fernando Velazquez, Matthew T. Elmore, Sharron Crane, Shanjia Li, Jiaxin Lu, Maria Molina Cobos, Natalia Gonzalez-Benitez, Miguel J Beltran-Garcia, Kurt P. KowalskiDifferences in rhizosphere microbial communities between native and non‐native Phragmites australis may depend on stand density
Microorganisms surrounding plant roots may benefit invasive species through enhanced mutualism or decreased antagonism, when compared to surrounding native species. We surveyed the rhizosphere soil microbiome of a prominent invasive plant, Phragmites australis, and its co‐occurring native subspecies for evidence of microbial drivers of invasiveness. If the rhizosphere microbial community is importAuthorsWesley A. Bickford, Donald R. Zak, Kurt P. Kowalski, Deborah E. GoldbergGrowth and behavior of North American microbes on Phragmites australis leaves
Phragmites australis subsp. australis is a cosmopolitan wetland grass that is invasive in many regions of the world, including North America, where it co-occurs with the closely related Phragmites australis subsp. americanus. Because the difference in invasive behavior is unlikely to be related to physiological differences, we hypothesize that interactions with unique members of their microbiomesAuthorsAaron E. Devries, Kurt P. Kowalski, Wesley A. BickfordIntraspecific and biogeographical variation in foliar fungal communities and pathogen damage of native and invasive Phragmites australis
AimRecent research has highlighted that the relationship between species interactions and latitude can differ between native and invasive plant taxa, generating biogeographical heterogeneity in community resistance to plant invasions. In the first study with foliar pathogens, we tested whether co‐occurring native and invasive lineages of common reed (Phragmites australis ) exhibit non‐parallel latAuthorsWarwick J. Allen, Aaron Devries, Nicholas J. Bologna, Wesley A. Bickford, Kurt P. Kowalski, Laura A. Meyerson, James T. CroninReview: Endophytic microbes and their potential applications in crop management
Endophytes are microbes (mostly bacteria and fungi) present in plants. Endophytic microbes are often functional in that they may carry nutrients from the soil into plants, modulate plant development, increase stress tolerance of plants, suppress virulence in pathogens, increase disease resistance in plants, and suppress development of competitor plant species. Endophytic microbes have been shown:AuthorsJames F. White, Kathryn L. Kingsley, Matthew T. Elmore, Satish Kumar Verma, Surendra K Gond, Kurt P. KowalskiSeed-vectored microbes: Their roles in improving seedling fitness and competitor plant suppression
This chapter discusses the role of seed-vectored microbes in modulating seedling development and increasing fitness of plants in terms of increased biotic and abiotic stress tolerance.AuthorsJames F. Jr. White, Kathryn L. Kingsley, Susan Butterworth, Lara Brindisi, Judy W Gatei, Matthew T. Elmore, Satish Kumar Verma, Xiang Yao, Kurt P. KowalskiManipulating wild and tamed phytobiomes: Challenges and opportunities
This white paper presents a series of perspectives on current and future phytobiome management, discussed at the Wild and Tamed Phytobiomes Symposium in University Park, PA, USA, in June 2018. To enhance plant productivity and health, and to translate lab- and greenhouse-based phytobiome research to field applications, the academic community and end-users need to address a variety of scientific, pAuthorsTerrence H. Bell, Kevin L. Hockett, Ricardo Ivan Alcalá-Briseño, Mary Barbercheck, Gwyn A. Beattie, Mary Ann Bruns, John E. Carlson, Taejung Chung, Alyssa Collins, Bryan Emmett, Paul Esker, Karen Garrett, Leland Glenna, Beth K. Gugino, Maria del Mar Jimenez-Gasco, Linda Kinkel, Jasna Kovac, Kurt P. Kowalski, Gretchen Kuldau, Johan H. J. Leveau, Matthew J. Michalska-Smith, Jessica Myrick, Kari Peter, Maria Fernanda Vivanco Salazar, Ashley Shade, Nejc Stopnisek, Xiaoquing Tan, Amy T. Welty, Etienne Yergeau, Kyle WickingsRoot endophytes and invasiveness: no difference between native and non‐native Phragmites in the Great Lakes Region
Microbial interactions could play an important role in plant invasions. If invasive plants associate with relatively more mutualists or fewer pathogens than their native counterparts, then microbial communities could foster plant invasiveness. Studies examining the effects of microbes on invasive plants commonly focus on a single microbial group (e.g., bacteria) or measure only plant response to mAuthorsWesley A. Bickford, Deborah E. Goldberg, Kurt P. Kowalski, Donald R. Zak - Software
Software related to this science
Data analysis and figures for Differences in Rhizosphere Microbial Communities Between Native and Non-Native Phragmites australis May Depend on Stand Density
This repository holds the code to reproduce the data analyses and figures found in "Differences in Rhizosphere Microbial Communities Between Native and Non-Native Phragmites australis May Depend on Stand Density" published in Ecology and Evolution written by Wesley A. Bickford, Donald R. Zak, Kurt P. Kowalski, and Deborah E. Goldberg. - News
News items related to this science