It’s a Question at the ‘Root’ of the Problem: Fungal Associations of Dionaea muscipula (Venus’ Flytrap) Roots in Its Native Habitat

Carnivorous plants survive in harsh habitats with limited nutrients and a low pH. Much focus has been placed on carnivorous trap evolution as the primary mechanism to increase nutrient acquisition through insect digestion. Soil microbiome, however, may also play a pertinent role in nutrient acquisition influencing plant vigor and overall success. <i>Dionaea muscipula</i>, commonly known as the Venus' flytrap, is endemic to rims of the Carolina Bays located in southeast North Carolina and northeast South Carolina, where <i>D. muscipula</i> survives in nutrient poor soils with a vestigial root system. We utilized a combination of microscopy, plating, and metagenomics, to investigate the presence/absence of fungal partners that may contribute to success and vigor of <i>D. muscipula</i> in its native habitat in order to further conservation of this carnivorous plant. Results support that <i>D. muscipula</i> forms both mycorrhizal and fungal endophytic associations, most likely to aid nutrient uptake from otherwise nutrient-poor soils, as well as aid in stress defense. Several ectomycorrhizal, endophytic, and saprophytic fungal species were identified from the surrounding rhizosphere of <i>D. muscipula</i> roots presenting a first glimpse into fungal communities that may influence <i>D. muscipula</i> physiology and compose the microbiome of the Carolina Bays ecosystem.