Underground Explorers

Tropical dry forests are unique ecosystems that are seldom studied. Currently they are under constant anthropogenic threats, such as deforestation and climate change. However, there is very little information about the mycorrhizal communities from these types of forests, partly because attention has focused largely on the most humid ecosystems. We will base our study on one of the last remnants of this type of forest located in the community of Garachiné, in the province of Darién, Panama. We will collect soil from the area and then apply molecular techniques to identify the mycorrhizae present. Our project is a collaborative effort with colleagues from the University of Panama who are developing botanical studies in the area, which will allow us to relate the mycorrhizal community with the flora typical of this type of ecosystem. Our results will allow us to know the diversity of mycorrhizae in an area never studied, as well as their possible relationships with the species of vascular plants present in the tropical dry forest. The information produced will help us motivate further research and the conservation of this unique Ecosystem.