Microbial ecology

For many years the department has enjoyed an international reputation for pioneering research into community ecology of ectomycorrhizal fungi. Today, we have greatly diversified our fields of interest to include bacteria, other soil organisms and their interactions with the abiotic and biotic environment.

Our research encompasses applications in sustainable agriculture and forestry, global change biology, soil and water management and biodiversity conservation. We use cutting edge molecular techniques to test ecological hypotheses, bridging the traditional gap between cell biology and ecology. We focus on the ecophysiological properties of organisms, their colonisation patterns, spatiotemporal distributions and production of extracellular enzymes and metabolites.

Current Research:

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Mycorrhiza Mycorrhizal symbiosis - linking above and below-ground processes!	Decomposition We explore fungi as the principal decomposers in most terrestrial ecosystems.	Microbial interactions We study multitrophic interactions (plants, fungi, bacteria) and their consequences for plant health, biological control of pathogens and cycling of nutrients.
Community and Diversity Taking advantage of the rapid advance of molecular identification methods, we explore microbial diversity in ecosystems - a white spot on the map of ecology!	Geomicrobiology  We use a combination of molecular and chemical analysis to link microbial communities to biogeochemical processes.	Global Change The balance between ecosystem carbon sequestration and release may shift with global change - fungi and bacteria are central in these processes.