The importance of ectomycorrhizal fungi for beech forest regeneration: what we can learn to help forest restoration.

Speaker: Laura Van Galen. The symbiotic relationship that exists between beech trees and ectomycorrhizal fungi has important implications for beech forest regeneration and the stability of forest boundaries. I am doing a PhD to investigate this relationship and provide practical information to assist forest restoration projects. I am conducting a large-scale survey of ectomycorrhizal fungi in beech forests across the South Island of New Zealand, to better understand the influence of host species, soil properties, patch size and condition, and other environmental factors on ectomycorrhizal diversity and community assembly. I am also establishing a plot experiment in ex-pasture where beech seeds will be sown under varying conditions, to determine the relative importance of fungi compared to other factors (such as soil nutrient levels, grass competition, the availability of shelter and herbivory) for restoration project success.

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