ACCE DTP project: Underground communication: What are the ecological consequences of plants signalling via mycorrhizal networks?

Almost all plants are attacked by herbivores and pathogens, and need to limit the damage done by these natural enemies. Plants have evolved endogenous defences but can also be supported by beneficial microorganisms that can help the plant defend itself from herbivores and pathogens. One important group of soil microbes are arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). AMF are associated with c. two thirds of land plants and form underground common mycelial networks (CMNs) that connect plants within a community.

It has recently become clear that AMF can transmit signals between plants when one plant suffers an attack by herbivores or pathogens, enabling a connected but unattacked receiver plant to upregulate its defences in anticipation. The receiver plant then becomes less attractive to herbivores, but more attractive to the herbivores’ natural enemies. This suggests that the AMF mediated plant-to-plant signalling alters the dynamics of the wider ecological communities but this has not been studied. Similarly, it is unknown how AMF diversity and connectivity alter the effectiveness of the signal and the receiver plant’s response. Understanding these microbe-mediated ecological processes is essential for understanding of ecological communities, but also has implications in agricultural or horticultural settings. This project will contribute to identifying appropriate soil management practices that maximise the benefits of AMF mediated signalling.

In this project, the student will investigate the ecological consequences of AMF signalling and the effects of AMF diversity on AMF-mediated signals between plants in a series of mesocosm and field experiments. The student will thus have the opportunity to study how the diversity of the key ecosystem engineers AMF affects above-ground processes under different soil management practices. The student will be trained in a wide range of state-of-the-art physiological, ecological and entomological techniques in laboratory and field settings.

The ACCE DTP is committed to recruiting future scientists regardless of age, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation or career pathway to date. We understand that commitment and excellence can be shown in many ways and we have built our recruitment process to reflect this. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, particularly those underrepresented in science, who have curiosity, creativity and a drive to learn new skills.