Rust fungi and global change

Rust fungi are important components of ecological communities and in ecosystem function. Their unique life strategies as biotrophic pathogens with complicated life cycles could make them vulnerable to global environmental change. While there are gaps in our knowledge, especially in natural plant–rus...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inNew Phytologist Vol. 201; no. 3; pp. 770 - 780
Main Author Helfer, Stephan
Format Journal Article Book Review
LanguageEnglish
Published England New Phytologist Trust 01.02.2014
Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
Subjects
Basidiomycota - physiology
biogeography
Biological Evolution
Carbon dioxide
Climate Change
Environmental changes
Environmental conditions
Epidemiology
fungal conservation
Fungi
global change
Host plants
Host range
Host-Pathogen Interactions - physiology
Humans
Life cycles
Pathogens
Phytopathology
Plant diseases
Plant Diseases - microbiology
Plants
Plants - microbiology
Pucciniales
Pucciniales (rust fungi)
Range extension
Research reviews
Rust fungi
Survival
Uredinales
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Summary:Rust fungi are important components of ecological communities and in ecosystem function. Their unique life strategies as biotrophic pathogens with complicated life cycles could make them vulnerable to global environmental change. While there are gaps in our knowledge, especially in natural plant–rust systems, this review of the exposure of rust fungi to global change parameters revealed that some host–rust relationships would decline under predicted environmental change scenarios, whereas others would either remain unchanged or become more prevalent. Notably, some graminicolous rusts are negatively affected by higher temperatures and increased concentrations of atmospheric CO2. An increase of atmospheric O3 appears to favour rust diseases on trees but not those on grasses. Combined effects of CO2 and O3 are intermediary. The most important global drivers for the geographical and host plant range expansion and prevalence of rusts, however, are global plant trade, host plant genetic homogenization and the regular occurrence of conducive environmental conditions, especially the availability of moisture. However, while rusts thrive in high-humidity environments, they can also survive in desert habitats, and as a group their environmental tolerance is large, with no conclusive change in their overall prevalence predictable to date.
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ISSN:0028-646X
1469-8137
DOI:10.1111/nph.12570