Soils and fungal ecology
Some of the most important interactions between forests and the environment occur in the soil from where trees obtain water and nutrients. This interaction is often mediated by microorganisms that may directly or indirectly help trees. Most of our research focusses on mycorrihzal fungi that establish symbiotic association with their tree hosts, however we also consider saprotrophs or pathogens as mediators of the interactions between tree species. Fungi not only interact with trees in the soil, they also do it in the canopy or in the woody debris. We try to understand their function and their association with forest management in order to maximize forest functioning.
