ProfessorIan Dickie

I am an ecosystem ecologist focussing on the development and application of molecular tools to determine the role of fungal communities in community and ecosystem-level outcomes. My main research interests spans the breadth of fungi, including mycorrhizas, wood decay fungi, and pathogens. I have also applied similar approaches to soil invertebrates, plant communities, bacteria, and oomycetes.

One application is in the invasion of woody plants, including the invasion of wilding conifers. Using molecular identifications of fungi on tree roots, I’ve shown that trees are largely co-invading with non-native fungi, transforming ecosystem function belowground.