Abstract
The inability to associate with local species may constrain the spread of mutualists arriving to new habitats, but the fates of introduced, microbial mutualists are largely unknown. The deadly poisonous ectomycorrhizal fungus Amanita phalloides (the death cap) is native to Europe and introduced to the East and West Coasts of North America. By cataloging host associations across the two continents, we record dramatic changes in specificity among the three ranges. On the East Coast, where the fungus is restricted in its distribution, it associates almost exclusively with pines, which are rarely hosts of A. phalloides in its native range. In California, where the fungus is widespread and locally abundant, it associates almost exclusively with oaks, mirroring the host associations observed in Europe. The most common host of the death cap in California is the endemic coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia), and the current distribution of A. phalloides appears constrained within the distribution of Q. agrifolia. In California, host shifts to native plants are also associated with a near doubling in the resources allocated to sexual reproduction and a prolonged fruiting period; mushrooms are twice as large as they are elsewhere and mushrooms are found throughout the year. Host and niche shifts are likely to shape the continuing range expansion of A. phalloides and other ectomycorrhizal fungi introduced across the world.
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Acknowledgements
Darvin Deshazer, Jason Hoeksema, Jason Hollinger, Joel Horman, Susan Hopkins, June Johnston, Marion Kyde, Jan Lindgren, Rich Moll, Dan Nicholson, Ron Pastorino, Bob Peabody, David Rust, Paul Sadowski, Douglas Smith, Walt Sturgeon, Steven Trudell, Rod Tulloss, Debbie Veiss, Else Vellinga, Peter Werner and Nathan Wilson provided collections or assistance with locating A. phalloides populations. Hope Jahren provided support with the stable isotope analysis. Matthew Smith and Noah Whiteman helped with earlier drafts of this manuscript. The study was funded by the New England Botanical Club, The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, the Mycological Society of America and the US National Science Foundation.
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Wolfe, B., Pringle, A. Geographically structured host specificity is caused by the range expansions and host shifts of a symbiotic fungus. ISME J 6, 745–755 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2011.155
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