Mentors: Melany Fisk, Ph.D. and Jenn Butt

Fungi play a vital role in terrestrial ecosystems by decomposing organic matter and recycling nutrients. Their ability to extend hyphae across soil and litter allows them to access and redistribute nutrients in patchy environments. Most past research has focused on the effects of single nutrients, especially nitrogen (N), on fungal growth. However, fungi require a balance of nutrients—particularly nitrogen and phosphorus (P)—for key biological processes like protein synthesis (N) and DNA/RNA production (P). Nutrient imbalance (low N relative to P, or vice versa) is common in soils and may influence fungal foraging strategies. Faster but less dense hyphal growth may be a strategy to explore new areas when one nutrient is scarce. This project investigates fungal foraging response to imbalanced N and P availability in a controlled lab experiment.

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