Presenter: Josh Leon
Authors: Josh Leon, Michael Rotter, Lauren Brooks, Trevor Thurgood
Faculty Advisor: Lauren Brooks
Institution: Utah Valley University
As the American southwest becomes more arid, disruptions in the habitat which the native plants have adapted threaten the survival of plants that cannot tolerate such changes. By studying the tools invasive plants (those from other environments which are now over-populated) use to adapt to their new environments, there is potential to develop and apply measures that can help the native species acclimate to their shifting climate. One such tool that might be useful in helping native species is the rhizosphere microbiome, or the collection of microorganisms which surround the plant roots. The microbiome in the rhizosphere can largely influence plant health by providing benefits including bioavailable nitrogen, growth-promoting chemicals, resistance to pathogens, and increased access to water. By studying this microbial community in invasive plants which are thriving in these modified conditions, it might be possible to identify beneficial microorganism that could help native plants survive the challenges they are facing. The African mustard (Strigosella africana), is native to northern parts of Africa and other Mediterranean countries but has become an invasive species in the American Southwest. Given its success in this region, we have chosen this plant as a model system to examined how the microbiome helps mediate the impacts of changes in precipitation and temperature. After determining that both temperature and water significantly affect Strigosella africana's survivability we were able to examine the effects of the soil microbes on the survivability of Strigosella africana under increased temperatures and/or drought conditions by comparing plant growth and survivability with and without the in-tact rhizosphere microbiome. Next steps include determining which specific microbes play a role in improving survivability of the species and testing the impacts of adding that microorganism to native plants.