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Effects of mercury on phylloplane fungi

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TitleInfo
Title
Effects of mercury on phylloplane fungi
Name (type = personal)
NamePart (type = family)
Malcolm
NamePart (type = given)
Katalin
NamePart (type = date)
1988-
DisplayForm
Katalin Malcolm
Role
RoleTerm (authority = RULIB)
author
Name (type = personal)
NamePart (type = family)
Dighton
NamePart (type = given)
John
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John Dighton
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Advisory Committee
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chair
Name (type = personal)
NamePart (type = family)
Barkay
NamePart (type = given)
Tamar
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Tamar Barkay
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Advisory Committee
Role
RoleTerm (authority = RULIB)
internal member
Name (type = personal)
NamePart (type = family)
Zhang
NamePart (type = given)
Ning
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Ning Zhang
Affiliation
Advisory Committee
Role
RoleTerm (authority = RULIB)
internal member
Name (type = personal)
NamePart (type = family)
Gray
NamePart (type = given)
Dennis
DisplayForm
Dennis Gray
Affiliation
Advisory Committee
Role
RoleTerm (authority = RULIB)
outside member
Name (type = corporate)
NamePart
Rutgers University
Role
RoleTerm (authority = RULIB)
degree grantor
Name (type = corporate)
NamePart
Graduate School - New Brunswick
Role
RoleTerm (authority = RULIB)
school
TypeOfResource
Text
Genre (authority = marcgt)
theses
OriginInfo
DateCreated (qualifier = exact)
2016
DateOther (qualifier = exact); (type = degree)
2016-05
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2016
Place
PlaceTerm (type = code)
xx
Language
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eng
Abstract (type = abstract)
The work described in this dissertation is linked by the common theme of how mercury (Hg) influences phylloplane (leaf surface) fungi. Hg is a highly toxic global pollutant of ecological and biological concern. Leaves sequester Hg and serve as a vector of Hg deposition to the forest floor. Phylloplane fungi are exposed to atmospheric Hg and are primary drivers of litter decomposition. However, it is unknown how Hg influences the fungal phylloplane community. This research contributes to current knowledge of ecological effects of Hg from the novel perspective of the fungal phylloplane community. Chapter 1 examined the effects of Hg deposition on the fungal phylloplane composition of living leaves. The fungal community was analyzed by culturing epiphytic fungi directly from leaves and using morphological and molecular techniques to identify cultures. It was determined that a single, low-dose Hg application did not significantly affect the fungal community over time. Chapter 2 investigated how fungal phylloplane cultures grew in the presence of Hg. The results indicated the effect was species specific. Some species exhibited changes in absolute growth but growth trajectories were not affected. A model was utilized to predict how the species would grow at increased Hg levels to identify which species would be sensitive or tolerant to increased Hg exposure. When the cultures were grown in pairwise interactions, Hg enhanced the competitive abilities of some species. The results indicate that Hg can affect growth of individual species, which could potentially affect community composition. Chapter 3 analyzed decomposition of Hg treated leaves in a low Hg contamination site. The leaves exposed to ambient levels of Hg decomposed more in absolute mass than the control or the four times ambient treatment. Although fungi are primary drivers of decomposition, there was not a correlation between the fungal community on decomposing leaves and decomposition. Collectively, this work demonstrates that Hg did not have an effect on the fungal community on living leaves or was a strong influence on litter decomposition at a low-contamination site. Hg can affect growth and competitive interactions of phylloplane fungi, but the effect is species specific.
Subject (authority = RUETD)
Topic
Ecology and Evolution
Subject (authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Fungi
Subject (authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Mercury--Environmental aspects
RelatedItem (type = host)
TitleInfo
Title
Rutgers University Electronic Theses and Dissertations
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ETD
Identifier
ETD_7068
PhysicalDescription
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electronic resource
InternetMediaType
application/pdf
InternetMediaType
text/xml
Extent
1 online resource (vii, 134 p. : ill.)
Note (type = degree)
Ph.D.
Note (type = bibliography)
Includes bibliographical references
Note (type = statement of responsibility)
by Katalin Malcolm
RelatedItem (type = host)
TitleInfo
Title
Graduate School - New Brunswick Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Identifier (type = local)
rucore19991600001
Location
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NjNbRU
Identifier (type = doi)
doi:10.7282/T3222WX1
Genre (authority = ExL-Esploro)
ETD doctoral
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Rights

RightsDeclaration (ID = rulibRdec0006)
The author owns the copyright to this work.
RightsHolder (type = personal)
Name
FamilyName
Malcolm
GivenName
Katalin
Role
Copyright Holder
RightsEvent
Type
Permission or license
DateTime (encoding = w3cdtf); (point = start); (qualifier = exact)
2016-03-22 10:49:21
AssociatedEntity
Name
Katalin Malcolm
Role
Copyright holder
Affiliation
Rutgers University. Graduate School - New Brunswick
AssociatedObject
Type
License
Name
Author Agreement License
Detail
I hereby grant to the Rutgers University Libraries and to my school the non-exclusive right to archive, reproduce and distribute my thesis or dissertation, in whole or in part, and/or my abstract, in whole or in part, in and from an electronic format, subject to the release date subsequently stipulated in this submittal form and approved by my school. I represent and stipulate that the thesis or dissertation and its abstract are my original work, that they do not infringe or violate any rights of others, and that I make these grants as the sole owner of the rights to my thesis or dissertation and its abstract. I represent that I have obtained written permissions, when necessary, from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis or dissertation and will supply copies of such upon request by my school. I acknowledge that RU ETD and my school will not distribute my thesis or dissertation or its abstract if, in their reasonable judgment, they believe all such rights have not been secured. I acknowledge that I retain ownership rights to the copyright of my work. I also retain the right to use all or part of this thesis or dissertation in future works, such as articles or books.
RightsEvent
DateTime (encoding = w3cdtf); (point = start); (qualifier = exact)
2018-01-17
DateTime (encoding = w3cdtf); (point = end); (qualifier = exact)
2019-05-31
Type
Embargo
Detail
Access to this PDF has been restricted at the author's request. It will be publicly available after May 31, 2019.
Copyright
Status
Copyright protected
Availability
Status
Open
Reason
Permission or license
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Technical

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DateCreated (point = end); (encoding = w3cdtf); (qualifier = exact)
2016-03-22T16:00:36
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2016-03-22T16:00:36
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