Fungal Ecology Lab (Rasmus Kjøller)

AGGREGATE AND GENEPEASE II
Soil provides multiple ecosystem services to humans of course as being the fundamental basis for agricultural food production but also by storing carbon and providing clean drinking water. Soil aggregation correlates with SOM content, aeration and soil biodiversity. A healthy and fertile soil is well aggregated. Soil aggregation is a process where soil minerals and organic matter is enmeshed into a biological web including fungal hyphae and a matrix exuded by microbes. In Aggregate we wish to determine which soil biota are most important for the soil aggregation process across a range of different Danish soils with focus on fungal activity and hyphae. We also want to pinpoint potential troubles for the aggregation process - in specific of pesticides. The harmful side-effects of pesticides on soil health is further explored in the project GENEPEASE II. The two together will provide recommendations towards managing our agricultural soil resources in a sustainable way.

FUNCTIONAL INTERACTIONS BETWEEN TREES AND FUNGAL TRAITS
Fungi are, primarily, plant dependent organisms – either as saprotrophs that gain energy and nutrients by decomposing dead plant material or as biotrophic symbionts that obtain their carbon (C) directly from interactions with living plants. The most abundant group of fungal biotrophs are mycorrhizal fungi and, even though they obtain C – and thereby energy – from living plant cells, they also explore the soil for other nutrients, particularly nitrogen which they trade for C with their host trees. We, therefore, predict that litter quality has a significant impact on mycorrhizal fungal communities, and that their (response) traits should reflect the challenges associated with the litter input as a C source. We will investigate this by measuring mycorrhizal fungal traits across plots with four different tree species varying in litter quality, replicated in a unique common garden experiment found at six sites across Denmark.

MATRIX
Ensuring sustainable food production for a still growing world population while at the same time minimize the use of pesticides in agricultural production systems is an intriguing challenge. In the Matrix project (Microbiome Assisted Triticum Resilience in X-dimension) we explore the potential of the indigenous wheat microbiome which focus on the phyllosphere to provide health and sustainable growth of wheat. We test the microbial interactions among the microbiome constituents, the microbiome-plant interactions as well as the potential of the microbiome to combat common fungal diseases and mitigate drought stress. We also map the genomic and metabolic diversity among our isolated strains and all data are modelled in deep learning neural networks. The end goal is to provide either management regimes or apply specifically designed and safe SynComs for improved plant health. The project is a large collaborative project with multiple partners from UCPH, DTU, NIOO (Netherlands) and North Caroline State University.

OTHER PROJECTS
A long-term focus within our research portfolio is community-, molecular- and functional ecology of mycorrhizal fungi. Themes investigated are:
1) The development of ectomycorrhizal fungal abundance and community composition with forest age, between hosts
3) The influence of forestry management practices on ectomycorrhizal fungal abundance, community composition and functioning
2) Common mycelial network between arbuscular mycorrhizal species
4) Primary succession of fungal communities with emphasis on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

Current funding includes four projects: Biological aggregate formation towards a healthy soil – AGGREGATE (NNF to 2025),  Microbiome Assisted Triticum Resilience In X-dimensions – MATRIX (NNF, to 2025), Pesticide Effects on Agricultural Soil Ecosystems – GENPEASEII (MST, to 2026) and Above and belowground interactions in forests (DFF, to 2026).

Contact Rasmus if you are interested in BSc or MSc projects on any aspect of fungal ecology. If you have a general idea about what you would like to work with, we can develop this into an exciting project together.

 Current student’s projects includes:

• Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal mycelia in soil – importance for common mycelial networks and soil aggregation
• How do tree species control mycorrhizal fungi through leaf litter quality?
• Fungal foliar endophytes – composition and potential for plant protection
• Identification of Bd (chytridiomycosis) and amphibians from eDNA
• Development and test of a Soil Health Index Score to assess new agricultural management regimes e.g. rotational grazing and regenerative agriculture

We also have a list of specific project suggestions. Check these out on https://karriere.ku.dk/projects/denmark - search for Rasmus Kjøller