Underground Explorers

Pastoral agriculture, especially when performed intensively and indiscriminitely, can diminish fungal communities through reductions in plant biomass and diversity. In contrast, mixed-species rotational grazing, a common practice on many New Zealand high country stations, can increase fungal diversity and abundance. By grazing species with different feeding preferences at different times, this approach can increase plant diversity and consequently support more fungi. This study will evaluate how this grazing practice influences fungal biomass, diversity, and species interaction network properties through it’s effects on plant community composition.