Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Exhibit No Significant Change in Producing Glomalin Under Varying Water Treatments By Sherry Darabi Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Kathleen Treseder

Mitigation of Climate Change Global warming is a current concern. Global warming is a current concern. Atmospheric CO 2 contributes to global warming. Atmospheric CO 2 contributes to global warming. AMF may ameliorate climate change by producing glomalin with the carbon in CO 2. Atmospheric CO 2 Plants AMF Glomalin

What are AMF and Glomalin? AMF invade root cells and transfer nutrients to the plant in exchange for the plant’s carbon. AMF use a portion of the carbon to produce a tough, sticky glycoprotein called glomalin.

Atmospheric CO 2 Plants AMF Glomalin Global Warming AtmosphericPrecipitation CO 2 Glomalin + + _ _ The Big Picture

Hypothesis I predicted that the more precipitation a plant is exposed to, the more glomalin AMF will produce to prevent nutrient leakage. I predicted that the more precipitation a plant is exposed to, the more glomalin AMF will produce to prevent nutrient leakage.

Materials and Methods grew annual ryegrass under four differing watering treatments for 5 weeks grew annual ryegrass under four differing watering treatments for 5 weeks cut, dried, and weighed shoots cut, dried, and weighed shoots cleaned, dried, and weighed roots cleaned, dried, and weighed roots 400 mL/week300 mL/week 500 mL/week600 mL/week x 8

Materials and Methods protein extractions for each sample protein extractions for each sample Bradford protein assay and ELISA Bradford protein assay and ELISA Glomalin concentration Glomalin concentration

Shoot Weight- Significant Correlation (P<0.001)

Root Weight- No Significant Change (P= 0.540)

Glomalin- No Significant Correlation (P=0.611)

Conclusion My data did not support Wright’s hypothesis that AMF produce glomalin to prevent nutrient leaching, since glomalin production and water availability were not significantly related. My data did not support Wright’s hypothesis that AMF produce glomalin to prevent nutrient leaching, since glomalin production and water availability were not significantly related.

Conclusion Shoot biomass did not seem to influence glomalin production. Shoot biomass did not seem to influence glomalin production. It is difficult to draw conclusions regarding root biomass and glomalin concentration, since neither varied significantly among treatments. It is difficult to draw conclusions regarding root biomass and glomalin concentration, since neither varied significantly among treatments. Alternative Mechanisms- predation, byproduct, temperature regulator Alternative Mechanisms- predation, byproduct, temperature regulator

I thank Dr. Kathleen Treseder and Katie Turner for all their help and support.