Fungal Biodiversity

I explore the ecology of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, what shapes their diversity, and how they impact plant outcomes. I also have a particular interest in the interactions with herbivory.

I work as an independent scientist in bioinformatic and ecological analysis. My thesis and my main collaboration with public scientists focus on the ecology of mycorrhizal fungi and their plant partners.

I am broadly interested in diversity, ecology, and systematics of tropical fungi. Especially ectomycorrhizal fungi from Amazonian ecosystems.

I am involved in the study of various aspects of plant biodiversity & its connection to local/Indigenous communities. Recently, forming a multidisciplinary team and using anthropology deep inquiry, scientific explorations and local/community participatory observation, we have completed an ethnomycological project, working among the very endangered, Meche indigenous community in the southern plain of Nepal.

I am interested in Mycorrhizal Fungal species, Tropical Forest Ecology, Invasion of alien plant species, Plant systematics, Conservation biological study of rare and endangered species, and learning the linkage of biodiversity and local communities. Anyone interested in working in Eastern Nepal in the above-listed field can reach out to me.

I am establishing bioresources of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) from less investigated habitats particularly forests to unveil dark AMF and their associated bacteria. After identification and description, isolated AMF are used in laboratory experiments to check previous DNA-based hypotheses and clarify how AMF diversity and cohabitation drive their functions.

Ectomycorrhizae associated with pine and eucalyptus from the Mesopotamian region of Argentina

My research work is based on the use of Indigenous Mycorrhizal Fungi in the mitigation of mycotoxigenic fungi in soil and plant produce and how the diversity of these organisms is affected by climatic conditions, especially in the tropical regions.

Using molecular and bioinformatics methods, my research is focused on the microbial communities of tropical soils, their role in biogeochemical cycles, and how they are being impacted by land-use and climate change.

My research focuses on microbial ecology across diverse ecosystems. I examined mycorrhizal communities in Indonesian rainforest during my undergraduate study, followed by research on life history strategy of mycorrhiza in frequently disturbed sand-dune ecosystem during my master's and doctoral study. Currently, I study mycorrhizal dynamics in agroecosystems, particularly agroforestry systems.

I am a postdoctoral researcher in Denmark working on a project aimed at promoting lake restoration across Europe. My research focuses on utilising microbes, including bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi, to enhance the recycling of nutrients, particularly phosphorus, from nutrient-rich sediments dredged from lakes. I am eager to expand my professional network and collaborate with researchers worldwide to further explore these microbial interactions and their potential applications.

Investigating how regenerative agriculture affects soil health, with a particular focus on soil organic matter, soil aggregates and microbes.

I explore the long-term recovery of human-disturbed ecosystems to improve restoration practices. I am currently leading a network of researchers worldwide (which is open to new collaborators!) interested in the recovery of post-agricultural forests through chronosequences. Collaborators collect soil, root and leave samples in their recovering forest chronosequences, enabling us to study the recovery of tree-ectomycorrhizal fungi networks and its relationship with belowground multifunctionality.

Soil microbiologist.
My work focuses on mycorrhizae, soil fertility, and sustainable farming.
From ecological engineering in the Great Green Wall in Africa to studying agricultural impacts on mycorrhizal dynamics, I aim to optimize soil quality, reduce chemical inputs, and foster resilient agroecological systems.

We are interested in the joint impacts of fungal pathogens and mycorrhizal fungi in shaping plant communities and their responses to global change (warming, drought, and fragmentation). We work in tropical forests and grasslands. We use a combination of "omic" methods, theory, fieldwork, labwork, and remote sensing.

The area of specialization is Mycology studying diversity of fungi from various environments includes soil  and air.  The other areas of interest   Aeropalynology and Herbal technology.

My research program has combined collections-based fieldwork and genomic tools to understand the global diversity, distribution, and evolutionary history of Fungi, particularly the diverse and species-rich mushrooms and allies. Much of my work involves generating phylogenetic hypotheses using genome-wide markers, and using these phylogenies to predict evolutionary patterns and to investigate the genetic basis of ecological traits.

In my previous research work, I explored how different AMF taxa changed over time in response to nitrogen fertilisation and reduced irrigation. I'm currently working on bioenergy sorghum AMF interaction.

I study the eco-evolutionary dynamics of plant-microbe interactions in coastal ecosystems

I am interested in the ecology and distribution of plant-fungal symbioses and how these relationships are affected by climate change stressors like warming and wildfire. I use field and greenhouse studies to understand how the availability of mycorrhizal mutualists or plant pathogens across the landscape might affect seedling fitness, species coexistence dynamics, and ultimately, forest composition.

My research focuses on forest ecology, specifically how symbiotic soil microbes (mycorrhizal fungi) and non-mycorrhizal endophytes help forest trees adapt to climate change. I study how shifting microbial communities, particularly drought-adapted ones, improve tree seedling survival and drought tolerance. I am applying these findings to improve reforestation efforts by testing whether soil fungal communities increase survival success in forests and post-agricultural lands in changing climates.

Plant-soil interaction

My research integrates the taxonomy of macrofungi, their phytogeographical distribution, nutritional values, and domestication. This combined approach enables the characterization of fungal diversity, a better understanding of their ecological distribution, and the promotion of their valorization and sustainable management through the cultivation of edible species.

Understanding the biological significance of the genetic variations in arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization in rice by studying the growth of cultivars contrasting in colonization in a range of soils to see if there are different properties of facilitation and parasitism depending on cultivar and soil.

My research is focused on ectomycorrhizal fungi in forest ecosystems. I am passionate about coupling field collections with molecular identification methods to investigate ectomycorrhizal species diversity. As a Holden biologist, I am driven to connect people to fungi and their tree partners.

Ethnomycology; Boletaceae phylogenetics

I am currently working on assessing fungal microbes associated with Pine Pitch Canker Disease in Resin-Tapped and Untapped Pine Trees in East Java, Indonesia

From 2020 I was involved in manufacturing mycelium bio-composites from locally available biomass and fungi species. I was able to isolate fungi species from local forests and identify local lignocellulose rich biomass to grow mycelium bio-composites in Sri Lanka.

AMF and other fungal roles in bioremediation of contaminated sites

My research interests focus on biotic interactions, particularly fungal-bacterial interactions, and their impact on ecosystem functioning. I use computational molecular methods of microbial ecology, including biodiversity metabarcoding, and genomics to advance our understanding of microbial biogeography and the interactions between microbial communities and their habitat.

We use low-cost remote, modular sensing devices to measure how environmental variables modulate the abundance of microbial population and their impact on vegetation growth in difficult settings, addressing unknown interactions between soil bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi in complex ecosystems dynamics like soil respiration, carbon cycle and nitrogen fixation.

I study the role of arbuscular mycorrhizas as maintenance specialists of the ecosystem. I am focused on: (i) better understanding of the ecosystem through analysis of mycorrhizas as drivers of ecosystem function; (ii) investigating the effects of toxic pollutants on mycorrhizas; and (iii) development of new restoration technologies using mycorrhizas.

Microbial community composition, C cycling, and N cycling within organically amended agroecosystems.

Rehabilitation of degraded post-mining areas using bio-phytoremediation modified with soil ameliorants. These include mycorrhizal fungi, beneficial bacteria/ fungi (i.e. endophytic microbes and phosphate-solubilizing microorganisms), plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria, and modified organic compounds (nanobiochar and pot-organic). These approaches are combined with the utilization of indigenous plant species supported by smart irrigation systems.

Soil microorganisms and biofertilization.

I am a lecturer in Crop Protection at the University of Nairobi, specializing in plant pathology, biological pest control, and sustainable agriculture. My work includes supervising research on fungal diseases in sorghum, exploring the use of Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana to manage storage and field pests, and studying arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in relation to crop health and agricultural practices. I also support community efforts to promote mushroom cultivation as an alternative protein source in dryland regions.

I am planning to do research in Lichen, that comes under the umbrella of Fungi. Specifically, bio-monitoring the air quality in our country -Bhutan with the use of lichen. This will help to substantiate the expensive air monitoring stations in difficult areas of reach.

environmental microbiologist

Responses and adaptation of fungi to global climate change and impacts to biogeochemical cycles.

We look at how to use genetic variation of mycorrhizal fungi to improve growth of tropical crops and improve soil structure and carbon sequestration. We also study effects of AMF inoculation on AMF community structure and the interaction with the soil microbiome.

My primary research interest is strengthening the plant immune system by using elicitors to boost systemic resistance, find molecular parameters that control mineral nutrition to increase the plant’s self-defense, and study changes in plant microbiome for plant protection.

I study Brazilian fungal diversity, especially from white-sand ecosystems (aka restinga). The main focus of my research is on neotropical ectomycorrhizae and the communities in selected areas.

Ectomycorrhizal community structure of Himalayan and Hindu Kush Forests of Pakistan. Multigene Phylogeny of Mushrooms from Plains to alpine regions.