Research

Symbioses

I have interests in many different aspects of ecology, but symbioses are a running theme. Whether it's the diversity of symbiotic organisms associated with a host, the consequences of symbioses for carbon and nutrient cycling, or the potential disruption of native symbioses by introduced species there are a wealth of different questions to explore.

Mycorrhizal ecology

Most of my research has been on ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungi and their interactions with tree species: spatial and temporal distribution, community composition and richness patterns, nutrient cycling using stable isotope probing, changes between climates / soils / soil horizons / host species. I have also begun to work on arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, and am particularly interested in host genera that associate with both AM and EM fungi, such as Populus. Mycorrhizal fungi exert an influence in most terrestrial ecosystems, but are difficult to study and were traditionally easy to ignore by virtue of existing almost entirely underground.

Paleoecology and deep time

Collaborating with North American researchers I am examining the potential impact of mycorrhizal fungi on historical plant migrations following the Last Glacial Maximum. I am also exploring the potential consequences of longevity in fungal propagules for ecosystem development in response to climate warming (see "the Paleosymbiosis Hypothesis"). Further work on 'Deep Time' symbioses is aimed at understanding the origins of modern distributions of plants and fungi and making predictions about their evolution and patterns of diversity.

Climate change, soils, plant migrations

What are the likely responses of plants to climate change, and how do soils and especially soil biota influence them? To address these questions I (with the help of some brilliant colleagues) have planted seedlings from known seed provenances across British Columbia to explore (i) how they respond to specific climates, and (ii) which EM fungi they associate with. I will soon be working with the royal Horticultural Society to look at how climate change may affect garden plants in the UK.

Tropical ecology

Species invasions on tropical islands have been of particular interest to me since visiting Mauritius in 2000. The introduction of plant species requiring exotic symbionts is prevalent, and the consequences for water resources have not been well explored. Impacts of the loss and reintroduction of herbivores on plant diversity is one area I hope to get involved with in the near future.

My other tropical research interest is oil palm and the absolute necessity of ensuring it is managed sustainably.

Stable isotope probing in the field to examine carbon cycling.

Dipterocarp roots with ectomycorrhizas in a Malaysian peat swamp forest

Harvesting seedlings planted hundreds of km's outside of their natural distribution