A1 Journal article (refereed)
Fungal communities decline with urbanization : more in air than in soil (2020)
Abrego, N., Crosier, B., Somervuo, P., Ivanova, N., Abrahamyan, A., Abdi, A., Hämäläinen, K., Junninen, K., Maunula, M., Purhonen, J., & Ovaskainen, O. (2020). Fungal communities decline with urbanization : more in air than in soil. ISME Journal, 14(11), 2806-2815. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41396-020-0732-1
JYU authors or editors
Publication details
All authors or editors: Abrego, Nerea; Crosier, Brittni; Somervuo, Panu; Ivanova, Natalia; Abrahamyan, Arusyak; Abdi, Amir; Hämäläinen, Karoliina; Junninen, Kaisa; Maunula, Minna; Purhonen, Jenna; et al.
Journal or series: ISME Journal
ISSN: 1751-7362
eISSN: 1751-7370
Publication year: 2020
Publication date: 05/08/2020
Volume: 14
Issue number: 11
Pages range: 2806-2815
Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
Publication country: United Kingdom
Publication language: English
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41396-020-0732-1
Publication open access: Openly available
Publication channel open access: Partially open access channel
Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/71360
Abstract
Increasing evidence suggests that degradation of biodiversity in human populated areas is a threat for the ecosystem processes that are relevant for human well-being. Fungi are a megadiverse kingdom that plays a key role in ecosystem processes and affects human well-being. How urbanization influences fungi has remained poorly understood, partially due to the methodological difficulties in comprehensively surveying fungi. Here we show that both aerial and soil fungal communities are greatly poorer in urban than in natural areas. Strikingly, a fivefold reduction in fungal DNA abundance took place in both air and soil samples already at 1 km scale when crossing the edge from natural to urban habitats. Furthermore, in the air, fungal diversity decreased with urbanization even more than in the soil. This result is counterintuitive as fungal spores are known to disperse over large distances. A large proportion of the fungi detectable in the air are specialized to natural habitats, whereas soil fungal communities comprise a large proportion of habitat generalists. The sensitivity of the aerial fungal community to anthropogenic disturbance makes this method a reliable and efficient bioindicator of ecosystem health in urban areas.
Free keywords: community ecology; fungal ecology
Contributing organizations
Ministry reporting: Yes
Reporting Year: 2020
JUFO rating: 3
