Leveraging Mammal Mycophagy to Determine Factors Shaping Truffle Diversity in the Southern Appalachian Mountains
Abstract
Mycorrhizal fungi form symbiotic associations with tree roots, aiding in the absorption of water and minerals from the soil in exchange for nutrients. Many mycorrhizal fungi are hypogeous (truffle-forming), fruiting underground and containing spores that are dispersed via animals. Mycophagous mammals rely on truffles as a key food source, maintaining the feedback loop between mycorrhizal partnerships and forest regeneration through fungal consumption and spore dispersal. Despite the Southern Appalachian Mountains being a truffle biodiversity hotspot, little is known about the factors driving their fruiting in the region. Understanding these factors is particularly crucial amid rapid anthropogenic change. Because truffles are difficult to locate due to their subterranean lifestyle, small mammal scat provides a more efficient means of assessing truffle production. We analyzed spores from over 700 scat samples collected from genus Peromyscus across 42 sites stratified by elevation and habitat type between May and November 2024 in the Blue Ridge Mountains of East Tennessee. We hypothesize that truffle richness, spore abundance, and community composition will shift across temporal and environmental gradients. Preliminary results indicate that fungal richness is highest mid-year and that fungal communities are distinct across seasons. Building on these patterns, we predict that truffle richness and spore abundance will be greatest under cooler, wetter conditions — particularly in mesic habitats, at higher elevations, and following periods of increased precipitation — and lowest under warmer, drier conditions typical of xeric sites. Together, these findings and predictions suggest that environmental conditions structure underground fungal communities and influence animal-mediated dispersal pathways, helping explain how underground fungal biodiversity is maintained across landscapes.
Start Time
15-4-2026 9:00 AM
End Time
15-4-2026 10:00 AM
Room Number
311
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Presentation Subtype
Grad/Comp Orals
Presentation Category
Science, Technology, and Engineering
Student Type
Graduate
Faculty Mentor
Ryan Stephens
Leveraging Mammal Mycophagy to Determine Factors Shaping Truffle Diversity in the Southern Appalachian Mountains
311
Mycorrhizal fungi form symbiotic associations with tree roots, aiding in the absorption of water and minerals from the soil in exchange for nutrients. Many mycorrhizal fungi are hypogeous (truffle-forming), fruiting underground and containing spores that are dispersed via animals. Mycophagous mammals rely on truffles as a key food source, maintaining the feedback loop between mycorrhizal partnerships and forest regeneration through fungal consumption and spore dispersal. Despite the Southern Appalachian Mountains being a truffle biodiversity hotspot, little is known about the factors driving their fruiting in the region. Understanding these factors is particularly crucial amid rapid anthropogenic change. Because truffles are difficult to locate due to their subterranean lifestyle, small mammal scat provides a more efficient means of assessing truffle production. We analyzed spores from over 700 scat samples collected from genus Peromyscus across 42 sites stratified by elevation and habitat type between May and November 2024 in the Blue Ridge Mountains of East Tennessee. We hypothesize that truffle richness, spore abundance, and community composition will shift across temporal and environmental gradients. Preliminary results indicate that fungal richness is highest mid-year and that fungal communities are distinct across seasons. Building on these patterns, we predict that truffle richness and spore abundance will be greatest under cooler, wetter conditions — particularly in mesic habitats, at higher elevations, and following periods of increased precipitation — and lowest under warmer, drier conditions typical of xeric sites. Together, these findings and predictions suggest that environmental conditions structure underground fungal communities and influence animal-mediated dispersal pathways, helping explain how underground fungal biodiversity is maintained across landscapes.
