Abstract Detail

Bryological and Lichenological Section/ABLS

Joneson, Suzanne [1], O'Brien, Heath [2].

Ecological Niche Plasticity in Nostoc sp.

It is well known that members of the cyanobacterial genus Nostoc can occupy different ecological niches, including in free-living and symbiotic relationships. It is unknown, however, if individual Nostoc species can occupy different niches within a given habitat. In this study we focus on the cyanobacterium Nostoc sp. which can be found both free-living and in symbiosis with lichen-forming fungi. Using a habitat in which Nostoc sp. occurs both free-living and in symbiosis, we set out to determine if a clonally reproducing lineage of Nostoc sp. occupied both niches in one habitat. Using portions of the rbcX gene and intergenic spacer region between rbcL and rbcX we placed individuals from this study within a larger phylogenetic context using a worldwide dataset of free-living and symbiotic Nostoc sp. We determined that individual Nostoc sp. clonal lineages occupy only one ecological niche within a geographic area, and therefore niche determination in Nostoc sp. must be influenced by additional factors such as between the interaction of the environment and genetics.

1 - University of Wisconsin - Waukesha, Department of Biological Sciences, 1500 N. University Dr., Waukesha, WI, 53188, USA
2 - University of Bristol, School of Biological Sciences, Life Sciences Building, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK

Keywords:
lichen
Nostoc sp.
Ecological niche.

Presentation Type: Poster:Posters for Sections
Session: P
Location: Hall D/The Shaw Conference Centre
Date: Monday, July 27th, 2015
Time: 5:30 PM
Number: PBR008
Abstract ID:963
Candidate for Awards:None