Projects
Roots can alter the chemical and physical properties of soil in a loosely defined space termed the rhizosphere: that portion of soil immediately under the plant’s influence. Plant roots excrete organic and inorganic substances into soil, such as acids and sugars. This excretion can alter soil pH, chemical properties and also the metabolism of organisms that live in the soil. Rhizosphere biology is therefore the study of plant roots and their influence on soil and soil organisms. Research in our laboratory is meant to increase our understanding of the biota living within the rhizosphere and how rhizosphere organisms interact to affect plant growth and ecosystem processes.
Specifically, our research centers on the role of mycorrhizal fungi on plants and soil bacterial communities. Mycorrhizas are soil fungi that form mutually beneficial associations with plant roots. Mycorrhizal fungi colonize plant roots, receiving carbon (often simple sugars) from the plant and in exchange providing the plants with nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorous acquired by the fungi from soil. Mycorrhizal fungi can increase plant growth and disease resistance. In addition, mycorrhizas can affect important soil bacterial populations, such as those involved in nitrogen-fixation. Consequently, mycorrhizal fungi may be keystone mutualists in many natural systems.
Current research projects underway in our laboratory involve examination of environmental factors controlling mycorrhizal diversity in beech-maple forests, effects of mycorrhizal fungi on bacterial functional groups and gene expression, and influence of mycorrhizal fungi on plant growth and nutrient acquisition.
View looking across the forests of The Holden Arboretum.
