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SUMMARY:Summoning the Wind: Fungal Spores Cooperate Hydrodynamically to En
 hance Dispersal - Marcus Roper\, University of California\, Berkeley
DTSTART:20091009T150000Z
DTEND:20091009T160000Z
UID:TALK20603@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Raymond E. Goldstein
DESCRIPTION:The forcibly launched spores of ascomycete fungi must eject th
 rough a boundary layer of nearly still air in order to be transported by d
 ispersive air flows. Because of their microscopic size spores are quickly
  brought to rest by fluid drag. However\, by coordinating the ejection of 
 thousands or hundreds of thousands of spores\, some fungi\, such as the cr
 op pathogen <i>Sclerotinia sclerotiorum</i>\, are able to sculpt a flow of
  air that carries spores across the boundary layer and around any interven
 ing obstacles. High speed imaging of the spore launch shows that this sync
 hronization is self-organized\, and likely triggered by mechanical stresse
 s within the fruiting body. Many spores are sacrificed in order to create 
 this flow of air -- since spores are not genetically identical this cooper
 ative behavior creates the potential for conflict and cheating among spore
 s and between spores and the parent fungus. Surprisingly our calculations 
 show that in order to maximize the benefit that it derives\, a spore must 
 synchronize with its neighbors and maximize its cooperative contribution s
 o that cooperative benefits are hydrodynamically targeted to cooperating s
 pores.\n
LOCATION:MR2\, Centre for Mathematical Sciences\, Wilberforce Road\, Cambr
 idge
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