Phytophthora, Nothophytophthora and Halophytophthora diversity in rivers, streams and riparian alder ecosystems of Central Europe

• Published in: Mycological progress Vol. 22; no. 7; p. 50
• Main Authors: Corcobado, Tamara, Cech, Thomas L., Daxer, Andreas, Ďatková, Henrieta, Janoušek, Josef, Patra, Sneha, Jahn, Daniella, Hüttler, Christine, Milenković, Ivan, Tomšovský, Michal, Jung, Marília Horta, Jung, Thomas
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 2023; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Alnus glutinosa; Aquatic habitats; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Creeks & streams; Ecology; Ecosystems; Forest ecosystems; Geographical distribution; Hybrids; Life Sciences; Lowlands; Microbiology; Opportunist infection; Original; Original Article; Phylogeny; Phytophthora; Plant Sciences; Riparian forests; Rivers; Species; Streams; Terrestrial ecosystems; Watercourses; Waterways; Central Europe; Austria; Oomycetes; Hybrids; Alpine; Water filtration; Dieback; Phytophthora plurivora
• ISSN: 1617-416X; 1861-8952
• DOI: 10.1007/s11557-023-01898-1

Waterways are ideal pathways for
Phytophthora
dispersal and potential introduction to terrestrial ecosystems. While many
Phytophthora
species from phylogenetic clades 6, 9 and 10 are predominant oomycetes in watercourses due to their adaptation to a lifestyle as saprotrophs and opportunistic pathogens of riparian plants, species from clades 2, 7 and 8 are predominantly soil- or airborne using aquatic habitats as temporal niches for spreading and invading terrestrial sites along the watercourses. In contrast to forest ecosystems, knowledge of
Phytophthora
diversity in watercourses in Central Europe is limited. Between 2014 and 2019 extensive surveys of streams and rivers were undertaken across Austria, in South Moravia, Czech Republic and Žilina province, Slovakia to unveil the diversity and distribution of
Phytophthora
and related oomycetes. In addition, in Austria riparian forests of black alder (
Alnus glutinosa
) and grey alder (
A. incana
) in lowlands and in the Alps were examined. A variety of
Phytophthora
species from clades 2, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 were isolated, with clade 6 species showing the widest distribution and abundance. Furthermore, interspecific clade 6 hybrids and other oomycetes such as
Halophytophthora fluviatilis
and undescribed
Nothophytophthora
spp. were also obtained. In riparian alders, symptoms of
Phytophthora
infections were associated with species from the
P.
 × 
alni
complex and
P. plurivora
.
Phytophthora plurivora
was most common in alder stands whereas
P. uniformis
was the oomycete species occurring at the highest altitude in alpine riparian areas.