Harvard Forest Research

Yeast diversity in pitcher plant leaf communities

Principal Investigator: Primrose Boynton
Harvard University: May 01 2009 - Sep 30 2009:

Abstract:
Scientists know little about the fungi that inhabit the pitcher plant leaf community. Because pitcher plant leaves form a metacommunity, this system is ideal for studying yeast dispersal and competition. This research will measure the effects of environmental factors and distances to neighboring communities on the composition of the yeast communities in pitcher plant leaves. Water will be removed from leaves inhabiting S. purpurea populations, and individual yeasts will be identified using DNA sequencing. Leaf tissue will also be removed and leaf endophytes will be identified. Factors such as leaf pH and the presence of other organisms in the leaves will also be recorded. These data will be compared, along with proximity to other bogs to determine if individual communities are shaped predominately though environmental factors or dispersal limitation.: