Genetic structure of Boletus edulis populations
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Cambridge
Department Name: Zoology
Abstract
Theme: Agriculture and Food Security
PhD project description: Boletus edulis is arguably the most important species of edible wild mushroom worldwide. Although it cannot currently be cultured, it is picked commercially in many areas of the UK and some areas have imposed bans to prevent over-harvesting. In this context, understanding how the species spreads and the local impact of harvesting is of great interest. Over the last decade, Bill Amos has assembled a large set of GPS located samples from Thetford Forest from areas that include heavily picked public areas, newly planted areas into which spread is occurring and unpicked areas in a military training site. In addition, samples have been assembled to give a broader context from across the UK and from European countries including France, Germany, Poland, Finland and Sweden.
The rotation project aims to use genetic markers (microsatellites, nine polymorphic loci already developed) to genotype approximately 400 samples in order to investigate the extent to which adaptation to the five main host trees is leading to the evolution of distinct strains. This work will be extended in several important directions to form the basis of a PhD thesis. First, it will look in detail at geographic sub-structure at a range of levels from tens of metres (nearby trees) to several kilometres (different woods same forest), hundreds of kilometres (different parts of the UK) and, finally, between different European countries. Within this aim will be an analysis of how local genetic diversity relates to available habitat density. A second aim is to understand more about how the species spreads.
Thetford Forest is a dynamic environment with active forest management. Two regions exist where active regrowth is occurring coincident with the new appearance of B. edulis. This provides an excellent opportunity to interrogate genetically where the new mycelial mats are coming from: have they simply spread from neighbouring mature woodland or have they arrived de novo through wind-blown spores. Some samples have already been collected but more fieldwork will be needed. In particular we will exploit root-tip sampling, a method that has already been shown effective in trials performed in collaboration with Dr. Bryn Dentinger (Kew). Root tip sampling allows more comprehensive sampling as well as sampling outside the fruiting season. Third, the project will look at temporal separation. B. edulis has an extremely long fruiting season, beginning as early as late July and continuing through until late December. Named species / sub-species already exist that appear to have evolved to exploit conditions earlier in the season, the so-called summer boletes. I will therefore analyse the genetic data for signatures of genetic separation in time as well as space. In addition to these primary aims, a range of other themes can be addressed, depending on the previous results. For example, if strong patterns of geographic separation are found a follow-up aim will be to test for the impact of natural selection by testing whether one or more markers display patterns at odds with the rest of the panel. The work will involve training in several important skills including taxonomy, bioinformatics, field sampling, molecular biology including genotyping, population genetics and statistics.
I will work with large datasets (microsatellite markers, herbarium records) and carry out statistical interrogation of relationships between environmental factors and population diversity. Later stages of the project may involve mathematical modelling of species spread.
PhD project description: Boletus edulis is arguably the most important species of edible wild mushroom worldwide. Although it cannot currently be cultured, it is picked commercially in many areas of the UK and some areas have imposed bans to prevent over-harvesting. In this context, understanding how the species spreads and the local impact of harvesting is of great interest. Over the last decade, Bill Amos has assembled a large set of GPS located samples from Thetford Forest from areas that include heavily picked public areas, newly planted areas into which spread is occurring and unpicked areas in a military training site. In addition, samples have been assembled to give a broader context from across the UK and from European countries including France, Germany, Poland, Finland and Sweden.
The rotation project aims to use genetic markers (microsatellites, nine polymorphic loci already developed) to genotype approximately 400 samples in order to investigate the extent to which adaptation to the five main host trees is leading to the evolution of distinct strains. This work will be extended in several important directions to form the basis of a PhD thesis. First, it will look in detail at geographic sub-structure at a range of levels from tens of metres (nearby trees) to several kilometres (different woods same forest), hundreds of kilometres (different parts of the UK) and, finally, between different European countries. Within this aim will be an analysis of how local genetic diversity relates to available habitat density. A second aim is to understand more about how the species spreads.
Thetford Forest is a dynamic environment with active forest management. Two regions exist where active regrowth is occurring coincident with the new appearance of B. edulis. This provides an excellent opportunity to interrogate genetically where the new mycelial mats are coming from: have they simply spread from neighbouring mature woodland or have they arrived de novo through wind-blown spores. Some samples have already been collected but more fieldwork will be needed. In particular we will exploit root-tip sampling, a method that has already been shown effective in trials performed in collaboration with Dr. Bryn Dentinger (Kew). Root tip sampling allows more comprehensive sampling as well as sampling outside the fruiting season. Third, the project will look at temporal separation. B. edulis has an extremely long fruiting season, beginning as early as late July and continuing through until late December. Named species / sub-species already exist that appear to have evolved to exploit conditions earlier in the season, the so-called summer boletes. I will therefore analyse the genetic data for signatures of genetic separation in time as well as space. In addition to these primary aims, a range of other themes can be addressed, depending on the previous results. For example, if strong patterns of geographic separation are found a follow-up aim will be to test for the impact of natural selection by testing whether one or more markers display patterns at odds with the rest of the panel. The work will involve training in several important skills including taxonomy, bioinformatics, field sampling, molecular biology including genotyping, population genetics and statistics.
I will work with large datasets (microsatellite markers, herbarium records) and carry out statistical interrogation of relationships between environmental factors and population diversity. Later stages of the project may involve mathematical modelling of species spread.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
William Amos (Primary Supervisor) | |
Nathan Smith (Student) |
Publications
Smith, NEC
(2019)
Fungi Under The Microscope - a workshop reviewed:
in Field Mycologist
Smith, NEC
(2019)
A focus on fungi
Smith, NEC
(2019)
Fungi in Polar Regions
in Inoculum
Smith, NEC
(2020)
It takes a village: The life of Henry Thomas Soppitt and the attempts by provincial mycologists to navigate their scientific legacy.
in Archives of Natural History
Smith, NEC
(2020)
A Figure in the Fog: George Edward Massee
in The Naturalist
Smith, NEC
(2020)
Narrative Histories in Mycology and the Legacy of George Edward Massee (1845-1917)
in Archives of Natural History
Studentship Projects
Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
BB/M011194/1 | 30/09/2015 | 31/03/2024 | |||
1804850 | Studentship | BB/M011194/1 | 30/09/2016 | 29/09/2020 | Nathan Smith |
Title | Digitised Cambridge Fungal Records Card Index |
Description | Historic record of fungal observations in Cambridgeshire. Majority of records from 1930's and 1940's |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2019 |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | Working towards publication. Unique and novel understanding of Cambridge mycolgocial culture in mid twentieth century. |
Description | FungiFest |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Workshop hosed at FungiFest on Fungal Poetry. Also hosted stand for the British Mycological Society |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://fungifest.uk/ |
Description | Interview for local radio |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Radio intervew on my research for the Radio Programme Us and Stemm on CAMFM |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Mushroom Supper Club & Life Drawing Class |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Participants signed up for suppper club, to which I provided information on fungal taxonomy and history, as well as talking about my work on Boletus edulis genetics. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://easternbiological.co.uk/ |
Description | Youtube Interview |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Interview for Cambridge ZooCast to discuss my research. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016,2020 |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=WfJ04MnFquk&feature=emb_title |