Honors Theses and Capstones

Date Completed

Spring 2026

Abstract

As host-associated microbes adapt to their abiotic environment, these adaptations can affect their host species as well. Previous research showed that varying temperatures and volatile organic compound (VOC) production can affect microbial benefits to hosts. This experiment analyzed how 27 microbes pre-adapted to different temperature conditions affected growth of their host, common duckweed plants, comparing effects of direct contact with microbes, effects of microbe VOCs alone, or both. Each microbe was pre-adapted to one of three temperature regimes: “Northern” at 28 °C, “Southern” at 33 °C, and “Extreme” at 36 °C. We then grew duckweeds in I-plates with each microbe in a controlled temperature environment over 17 days, documenting the change in frond area of the plants. Duckweeds inoculated with microbes adapted to the “Northern” temperature profile grew the most. The duckweeds grown in direct contact with microbes also grew more than duckweeds without microbes, or with microbial VOC exposure only. Trends varied non-significantly between individual microbes. In sum, our results highlight that adaption of microbes to thermal regimes likely influences their effects on plants.

Document Type

Undergraduate Thesis

First Advisor

Anna O'Brien

College or School

COLSA

Department or Program

Department of Molecular, cellular, and Biomedical Sciences

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science

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