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Profound advances in understanding the ecology of both viruses and higher organisms Plant Virus Ecology Network (PVEN) Research Coordination Network Plant Virus Biodiversity & Ecology EPSCoR NSF Plant Virus Ecology Network (PVEN) •What's Plant Virus Ecology? •What's PVEN? •What's PVEN done? Plant Virus Ecology • examines the ecological roles of plant-associated viruses in managed and unmanaged ecosystems; • investigates the reciprocal influence of ecosystem properties on the distribution and evolution of plant viruses. R. S. Redman et al., Science 298, 1581 (2002) www.bulkley.net/~symbios/ski%20trail%20meadow.jpg Plant Virus Ecology Example: Thermotolerance R. S. Redman et al., Science 298, 1581 (2002) Plant Virus Ecology Example: Inasive Plants www.bulkley.net/~symbios/ski%20trail%20meadow.jpg C.M. Malmström, R. Shu, E.W. Linton, L. A. Newton, M. A. Cook (2007) J. Ecology (on line) Plant Virus Ecology Two Worlds of Biological Science Molecular Environmental Plant Virus Ecology One World of Biological Science Molecular Environmental Plant Virus Ecology Sample Questions •Within a plant species, do virus communities vary predictably according to environmental gradients? •How do virus communities vary as a function of environmental gradients known to be important for vascular plants? •Do common plant species have more virus species than rare plant species? •Does 'distance decay' exist in virus communities? •Do virus abundance distributions conform to expectation from the Unified Neutral Theory? •Are virus abundance distributions lognormal? •Are annuals less likely to have high viral loads? •Are some habitats more conducive to high viral loads than others? •Is virus species biodiversity related to plant biodiversity? •Are native species likely to have higher viral loads than exotic species? •Are successful invaders relatively virus-free? •Are exotic plant species more or less prone to infection than native species? •Does a diverse plant community confer protection from viruses? •What is the role of viruses in the maintenance of plant biodiversity? Plant Virus Ecology Societal issues: •Emergence of new diseases •GMO safety •Biosecurity •Preservation & Restoration Plant Virus Ecology Barriers: •Historic separation of fields •Ecologists •Virologists •Tools •Diagnostic •Database infrastructure Plant Virus Ecology Network (PVEN)--Who? •Core participants (UPPER CASE) •Other participants •Co-coordinators: Carolyn Malmström, U. Melcher •Coordinating committee: Anna Whitfield, Alison Power, Denis Fargette •External advisory board: TBA Plant Virus Ecology Network (PVEN)--What? • Create community, world wide. • Encourage new talent and public support. • Intellectual, physical and informational infrastructure. PVEN To-do List (Create Community) • Recruit talent to PVE • Ecologists: 2007 ESA meeting ✔ • Plant virologists: 2007 ASV and APS meetings ✔✔ • Develop relationships with allied groups • International Plant Virus Epidemiology Symposium group ✔ • Newsletter • One issue sent ✔ • Website • Workshop PVEN To-do List (Encourage Talent) Three levels • BS: Summer internships • created ✔ • First intern ✔ • K-12: Impression 5 Science Center contracted • JQ Public: Website PVEN To-do List (Infrastructure) • Intellectual Infrastructure • Workshop • Discuss questions and issues • Prioritize • Website forum PVEN To-do List (Infrastructure) • Physical and Informational Infrastructure • Database needs • Lobbying NPDN ✔ • Supporting IVDN proposal ✔ • Grant proposal • Plant Virus Key ✔ • NEON input (in progress) • Workshop • Diagnostics http://bioinfosu.biochem.okstate.edu/pve_rcn/ Plant Virus Ecology and Epidemiology Epidemiologists: concerned about the consequences of virus infection in agricultural settings Ecologists: also interested in the consequences in natural settings. Perspectives different, but questions and tools overlap. Plant Virus Ecology Network (PVEN) •What's Plant Virus Ecology? •What's PVEN? •What's PVEN done? Profound advances in understanding the ecology of both viruses and higher organisms Plant Virus Ecology Network (PVEN) Research Coordination Network Plant Virus Biodiversity & Ecology EPSCoR NSF