RESEARCH HISTORY

Mycorrhizal research in Uppsala has a long history. Elias Melin, who was active during the first half of the 20th century, first demonstrated the potential of ectomycorrhizal fungi to supply their plant hosts with nitrogen from organic sources. Another early pioneer was Erik Björkman, who in 1942 defended a doctoral thesis about the regulation of ectomycorrhizal symbiosis by the interacting availabilities of nitrogen, phosphorus and plant assimilates. In 1975, the Uppsala mycorrhizal research group was placed under the administration of the newly founded Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, and Gösta Lindeberg was appointed professor in forest microbiology. Headed by Torgny Unestam, who held the professor's chair 1979-1996, the group was early in using molecular tools to study the below ground diversity and population biology of ectomycorrhizal fungi. Today, around 15 researchers and PhD students, under the leadership of Professor Roger Finlay, continue to explore a wide range of different aspects of mycorrhizal associations.