Wednesday, August 14, 2019: 1:30 PM-5:00 PM
M107, Kentucky International Convention Center
Co-organizer:
Wesley Bickford
Growing evidence suggests that microbes are key mediators of plant invasions. Many of the major hypotheses explaining plant invasions, such as the Enemy Release Hypothesis, Accumulation of Local Pathogens, the Enhanced Mutualist Hypothesis, and the Mutualist Disruption Hypothesis, all point to plant-microbe feedbacks as the primary mechanism of invasion success. Traditional plant-soil feedback experiments that have been used to develop and support these invasion hypotheses typically take a “black box” approach to the microbial community. However, microbial culturing methods combined with new techniques in next generation sequencing are increasingly being used to characterize the microbial taxa involved in invasions and explore differences in invasive and native plant microbiomes. These techniques attempt to break open the black box to promote conceptual advances in invasion-microbe research by identifying the taxonomy of the key microbial players as well as their function. Furthermore, current research in invasive species management and restoration is utilizing knowledge of the microbial taxa relevant to invasions to investigate the use of microbes as biocontrol agents and to enhance native system recovery. The goals of this session are 1) to bring together researchers merging plant-soil feedback experiments, culturing, and next generation sequencing to synthesize current approaches to understanding the contribution of microbial communities to invasion and their use in control and management, 2) to assess the utility and limitations of opening the black box to contribute to conceptual frameworks and applications in invasion biology, and 3) to provide novel examples of how to test the importance of plant-microbial interactions in species invasion and discuss next steps and future directions to further advance the field. The confirmed speakers of our session are diverse in terms of study system (agricultural, natural systems), focal microbial taxa (mutualists, pathogens, mycorrhizae, nematodes), institution (academia, USDA, USGS), research questions, and career stage, which will promote a dynamic and engaging atmosphere that aligns well with the 2019 ESA meeting theme of inclusion.
4:40 PM
Cancelled
OOS 20-10