Thomas D Bruns

Professor
Ph.D.  Botany    University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1987
BA   Forest Science    University of Minnesota, 1978

321B Koshland Hall
Berkeley, California 94720
pogon@berkeley.edu
office: 510-643-7987   lab: 510-643-5483   fax:  510-643-5098

     Recent publications     

Most of the current and recent work in my lab has focused on the ecology and evolution of mycorrhizal fungi. These fungi form symbiotic associations with plant roots, and this interaction represents one of the most widespread and important mutualisms in terrestrial ecosystems.

Our prior work on mycorrhizal fungi has focused on: 1) the development of molecular tools for the identification of fungi from environmental samples; 2) the characterization of fungal community structure; 3) the effect of plant host and disturbance on fungal community structure; 4) the autecology and population structure of key fungal species; and 5) the ecology and evolution of non-photosynthetic, epiparasitic plants and their fungal hosts

Current projects in the lab (as of March 2006) include: 1) an investigation of the spatial and temporal structure of Rhizopogon spore banks (Tom Bruns); 2) an investigation of the structure of competitive interactions among key ectomycorrhizal species (Peter Kennedy); 3) systematics of Lepiota and related genera (Else Vellinga); 4) the structure and function of arbuscular mycorrhizal communities in relation to serpentine soil (Shannon Peters) and 5) molecular genetics of Rhizopogon salebrosus in the context of epiparasitism by Pterospora andromedea (Val Wong).

In addition Kabir Peay, from the Garbelotto lab, is working on island biogeography of ectomycorrhizal fungi associated with pine islands at Point Reyes and Tasha Hausmann, from the Dawson lab, is working on arbuscular mycorrhizal communities dynamics and function in manipulated grassland communities. Nick Rosenstock is developing a project on ectomycorrhizal community structure and function in cation depleted settings and Nicole Hynson is developing a project on epiparasitism of Pyrola aphylla and Pyrola picta.

The lab is also involved with the Point Reyes "Mycoblitz". This is an effort to catalogue and voucher the macrofungi at Point Reyes National Seashore. This is a collaborative project with Mycological Society of San Francisco, the Sonoma Mycological Association, and Mycologists from San Francisco State, UC Davis, Humboldt State and the University of Wyoming.

Add here.

(see http://plantbio.berkeley.edu/~bruns/ for more)

Bidartondo, M.I. and Bruns, T.D. 2005. On the origins of extreme mycorrhizal specificity in the Monotropoideae (Ericaceae): performance trade-offs during seed germination and seedling development. Mol. Ecol. 14: 1549–1560.

Izzo, A.D., M. Meyer, M. North, J.M. Trappe and T.D. Bruns. 2005. Hypogeous ectomycorrhizal fungal species on roots and in small mammal diet in a mixed conifer forest. Forest Science 53: 243-254.

Kennedy, P. G and Bruns, T. D. 2005 Priority effects determine the outcome of ectomycorrhizal competition between two Rhizopogon species colonizing Pinus muricata seedlings. New Phytol. 166: 631-638

Lilleskov, E. A., Bruns, T.D., Horton, T.R., Taylor, D.L., and Grogan, P. 2004. Detection of forest stand-level spatial structure in ectomycorrhizal fungal communities. FEMS Microb. Ecol. 49:319-332

Bruns, T.D., Bidartondo, M.I. Taylor, D.L. 2002. Host specificity in ectomycorrhizal communities: what do the exceptions tell us? Integ. and Comp. Biol. 42:352-359.