Impact Of Recreation Related Disturbance On Fungal Endophytes In Bouteloua gracilis Along A Disturbance Gradient In Browns Canyon National Monument
Annika Revis1*, Dr. Catherine Gehring2
1Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
2Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
Endophytes are microorganisms that usually live asymptomatically within plants and have gained popularity in recent years. Their potential applications include alleviating plant abiotic and biotic stresses, promoting plant growth, and protecting against phytopathogens. The stretch of the Arkansas River located between Buena Vista and Salida, Colorado, represents the most protected stretch of the river due to its recent status as a National Monument. However, every year more than 200,000 people use this area for recreational activities including fishing, rafting, kayaking, and camping. This amount of ecotourism is affecting the natural taxa in a negative manner. Bouteloua gracilis is a common type of grass found alongside the river that is native to the area. By isolating the endophytes present in this grass one can see how much the amount of recreational based pressure, climate change, and other environmental conditions are influencing the microbiota of the grass. This will also determine whether the endophytes isolated are pathogenic, beneficial, or potentially climate-adapting. Grass samples were taken from a variety of designated campsites ranging from small to large human disturbance. Then after isolating and completing molecular sequencing of these isolated endophytes, the taxonomy and potential relationships between plant and endophyte will become clearer. Furthermore, stress tests on the endophytes will allow more information to be collected on whether the endophytes are helping or hurting the plant. Through this research and presentation attendees will be able to further understand the potential impact that endophytes could have on climate change resilience in addition to the implications they have on human disturbance tolerance.