Analysis of orchid mycobiomes

Orchids are a widely-distributed group of flowering plants with important roles in ecosystems around the golobe. However, many species are in decline due, in part, to human driven changes in their habitat. It has been well established that orchids are highly dependent on specific groups of mycorrhizal fungi for growth and reproduction. The community of these fungi can vary across the range in which an orchid species resides, affecting the distribution and population dynamics of these plants. Recent studies have shown that the orchid fungal microbiome (mycobiome) also includes a diverse array of non-mycorrhizal endophytic fungi that may also contribute to growth and resilience and that also vary across a particular orchid's range. This suggests that the communities of mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal species that make up the orchid mycobiome may be altered by habitat disturbance, which could affect the ability of these keystone plant species to thrive in different environments. This project aims to build an integrated view of the mycobiome of different orchid species in a range of habitats in an effort to understand how human induced changes to the habitat can impact the mycobiome and its role in plant resilience to or decline under stress. Such a broad approach will provide insights that will allow for targeted conservation efforts.