Course Identification

1. Fungal lifestyles: Saprotrophic vs. mycorrhizal vs. pathogenic

2. The Rhizosphere and its role in forest health

3. Carbon in the soil, ways in and ways out

4. Phosphate economy as a model for molecular interactions between the roots and the mycorrhiza

5. The transfer of carbohydrates from the trees to the rhizosphere

6. Fungal fruiting bodies collection and morphology characterization

7. Molecular identification of fungal species

8. Mycorrhizal networks

9. Dispersal and succession of fungal spores and hyphae

1. The students will gain the necessary knowledge in fungal biology and fungal lifestyle so they can better understand the role of fungi in the ecology of the forest

2. The students will gain knowledge about the concept of mycorrhiza and its role in tree health

3. As an example for the unique interaction between fungi and tree roots the students will learn how fungi absorb phosphate from the soil, store the phosphate and release it to the plant roots

4. The students will learn how ecological research focusing on forest fungi is performed in the field

5. The students will learn about the dynamics and chemistry of carbon transport from trees to mycorrhiza and across mycorrhizal networks back to trees
    
6. The students will gain the knowledge of how to identify fungal species at the morphological and molecular levels

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IZ-Fek2kzE