Presenter: Kyla Martichuski
Mentors: Jessica Green and Ann Womack, Biology
Oral Presentation
Majors: Biology and Human Physiology
Characterizing the different types of fungi in the atmosphere and their abundance is of great importance when considering atmospheric processes and dispersal of organisms. Current research suggests that fungi can alter precipitation patterns by promoting the formation of ice crystals at warmer temperatures than the freezing point of pure water. Studying the flow of microbes from one place to another is particularly important because agricultural and human fungal pathogens are transported in the atmosphere. The purpose of my research is to measure the composition, diversity, and temporal patterns of fungal communities in the atmosphere in order to provide a better understanding about the dispersal patterns of fungal types. I am using advanced culture-independent, high- throughput DNA sequencing techniques to analyze fungal community composition in air samples collected at the Mt. Bachelor Observatory, a high-elevation research station. Previous research suggests that bacterial community composition on the summit of Mt. Bachelor varies diurnally and community diversity changes significantly across days, and these patterns could be similar in fungal communities. Diurnal variation is likely due to the influence of local sources on community assembly whereas variation across many days could be due to the influence of long distance sources. Understanding the dispersal patterns of fungi from source environments could provide insight about the importance of dispersal related to agricultural and human pathogens.