| How Much do Plants Depend on Forest Fungi in the Temperate Rainforest? |
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| Investigators |
| Steven Trudell (Ph.D. candidate), College of Forest Resources, University of Washington
Professor Robert Edmonds, College of Forest Resources, University of Washington
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What is the Issue? |
| ROLE OF SOIL FUNGI IN MATURE RAINFORESTS IN NORTHWEST WASHINGTON STATE |
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Essential soil fungi known as mycorrhizas -- Greek translation of fungus root -- share a mutually beneficial (symbiotic) relationship with all plant roots, providing nutrients and water to the plant in return for sugars and other food. This work is investigating the role that mycorrhizas play in the uptake of soil nitrogen and other nutrients in forms that otherwise would be unavailable to plants. The focal areas of this research are: characterization of the mycorrhizal status of plants in an old growth temperate rainforest, and examination of possible sources of variation in the 15-N content of fungal sporocarps in Pacific Northwest coniferous forests. The research is being conducted in Olympic National Park. Findings from this research are very important for tree biologists' basic understanding of tree growth.
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What is our goal? |
| UNDERSTANDING THE BELOW GROUND ECOLOGY OF FORESTS.
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| How much do plants depend on forest fungi in the temperate rainforest? |
Where we currently stand. |
| During 2000, researchers completed root sampling at the West Twin Creek watershed. The samples were examined to document the presence of mycorrhizal structures. As well, approximately 1,000 samples of sporocarps were collected, identified, and dried. Powdered samples from these collections are being prepared for stable isotope analysis. Fieldwork for the sporocarp isotope project will continue until the summer of 2001. Isotope analysis, data reduction and interpretation, and manuscript preparation will begin during 2001 and continue into 2002.
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You can help this project - find out how. |
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