Fungal communities of Bipolaris gigantea infected and non-infected Microstegium vimineum litter

Bipolaris gigantea is a foliar pathogen which infects the invasive annual grass Microstegium vimineum. We collected litter from B. gigantea infected and non-infected sites across the Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge in Madison, Indiana, USA. The primary goal of the study was to determine how the infection of M. vimineum by B. gigantea prior to senescence alters litter decomposition. Samples of decomposing litter were collected every other month for one year for the characterization of the fungal communities.