Thesis Defence: A Roadmap to Predicting Associations Between Ectomycorrhizal Fungi and Host Plants
April 28 at 9:30 am - 1:30 pm
María de la Paz Mañé Duarte, supervised by Dr. Jason Pither, will defend their thesis titled “A Roadmap to Predicting Associations Between Ectomycorrhizal Fungi and Host Plants” in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Biology.
An abstract for María de la Paz Mañé Duarte’s thesis is included below.
Defences are open to all members of the campus community as well as the general public. Registration is not required for in-person defences.
Abstract
Mycorrhizal fungi form symbiotic associations with plant roots, playing essential roles in ecosystem function. As obligate symbionts, understanding their ecology and biogeography requires knowledge of fungal-host associations. However, current knowledge of host compatibility remains inadequate due to extremely limited and taxonomically biased sampling, and methodological inconsistencies. The slow pace of new discoveries and data limitations hinder our ability to map and predict fungal-host relationships. Models for predicting associations between parasites and hosts have been applied successfully, but have yet to be considered for predicting mycorrhizal associations. In this thesis, I present a roadmap for predicting ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungi-host associations. I first review existing knowledge and key gaps, including challenges in sampling, taxonomic biases, and uncertainties in mycorrhizal classification. I then explore ecological, phylogenetic, and functional factors that shape fungal-host relationships, assessing the strengths and limitations of available data sources for these predictor themes. Additionally, I evaluate predictive modeling approaches, comparing their suitability for EM associations based on data requirements, performance, and interpretability. By outlining key considerations for method selection and data integration, this roadmap provides a foundation for more systematic and informed approaches to uncovering fungal-host associations. Ultimately, it could accelerate the discovery of novel EM partnerships, refine sampling strategies, and contribute to fungal conservation efforts in a changing environment.
