Underground Explorers

This project investigates the role of native mycorrhizal fungi in restoring and remediating post-fire soils contaminated with metals in the Los Angeles Basin, a biodiversity hotspot increasingly impacted by wildland-urban interface fires. We will compare restoration outcomes between native plants grown with and without inoculation from healthy reference ecosystems to assess effects on plant survival, fungal colonization, and metal uptake. Using ITS2 and SSU amplicon sequencing alongside spore counts and root colonization analyses, we will characterize mycorrhizal community dynamics before and after restoration across multiple field sites.