Eli Ward

New paper is out! We show how interactions between AM vs EcM canopy trees and ericoid mycorrhizal shrubs alter the accumulation of soil organic matter at different depths and in different pools.

@RohitNandakuma5 For AM vs EcM trees, we stratified tree mycorrhizal dominance by topography since topographic gradients of moisture within forest stands can influence both SOM accumulation and tree mycorrhizal dominance and could therefore otherwise be a confounder (weaker causal inference)

@RohitNandakuma5 To assess ErM shrub effects, we used a pseudo-experimental approach by having paired subplots with and without ErM shrubs (within ~2 m) that were orthogonal to the tree mycorrhizal dominance gradient (stronger inference about the causal effect)

New paper is out! We show how interactions between AM vs EcM canopy trees and ericoid mycorrhizal shrubs alter the accumulation of soil organic matter at different depths and in different pools.

|| NEW RESEARCH || Depth‐dependent effects of ericoid mycorrhizal shrubs on soil carbon and nitrogen pools are accentuated under arbuscular mycorrhizal trees 📃 buff.ly/3QdJ2Po @elibward @bradfordlab @ypolussa @YaleEnvironment

CAES Press Release--"Plant Science Day 2023 Open House Presented by The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station," Wednesday, July 19, 2023. See the announcement on our website: portal.ct.gov/-/media/CAES/D…

What roles do ericoid mycorrhizal fungi play in the carbon-nutrient cycling in ombrotrophic peatlands? Check out our new article in @NewPhyt modeling how fertilization affects bogs via ERM fungi! This is part of my PhD thesis @mcgillgeography I did with @NRoulet and many others.

My latest for @ScienceMagazine on a surprising effect that the nearly century-old housing policy known as redlining has had on present-day tree biodiversity in Baltimore. science.org/content/articl…

Creating useful models that explore how animals impact environments is tricky. But, we got your back! Check out our roadmap for creating applied models to explore how animals impact nutrient cycles, led by @EcologyRoo

Our first seminar of the semester is this Friday, September 23 at 12:00 PM - CSF 1302 . Our first speaker is @KristyFerraro. To learn more about how large mammal movements impact nutrient cycling within ecosystems and to attend a great presentation, join us this friday.

@ecoforce_global Unfortunately there wasn’t a remote option today!

@elibward Livestream for people overseas?

Interested in how interactions between co-occurring ericoid mycorrhizal shrubs and arbuscular versus ectomycorrhizal trees influence soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics in forests? Come to my #ESA2022 #CSEE2022 talk on Tuesday at 10:45am in room 512A! Hope to see you there

Do you like learning about how animals impact ecosystems and nutrient cycles? OR! Do you like pictures of cute caribou? If either of these apply, come check out my talk Tuesday at 1:30 at #ESA2022 #CSEE2022

The functional role of ericoid mycorrhizal plants and fungi on carbon and nitrogen dynamics in forests @elibward @marlyseaceae @SaraKuebbing @bradfordlab #TansleyReview ow.ly/iy3W50KcGOZ

Gadgil effect of shrub removals: increasing abundance of ericaceous shrubs and ericoids contributes to OM accumulation, not only through necromass accumulation, but also through impairment of decomposition processes due to increasing nutrient limitation nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.11…

The functional role of ericoid mycorrhizal plants and fungi on carbon and nitrogen dynamics in forests @elibward @marlyseaceae @SaraKuebbing @bradfordlab #TansleyReview ow.ly/V7HA50JRzrP

Wet day out in the woods with @bradfordlab, but we found plenty in the understory to keep our spirits high! What drives the recovery of surface organic matter accumulation in managed forest stands? —stay tuned!

@cameronmusser So cool!

ErM (F) = ericoid mycorrhizal (fungi) (e.g. mountain laurel, blueberries, rhododendron, heather) AM (F) = arbuscular mycorrhizal (fungi) (e.g. maple, ash, cherry, most tropical trees) EcM (F) = ectomycorrhizal (fungi) (e.g. oak, hickory, most gymnosperms) SAP = saprotrophs

Just out! Check out the early view of our Tansley Review where we discuss how interactions between understory ericoid mycorrhizal shrubs and AM versus EcM trees could influence carbon and nitrogen cycling in forests globally. doi.org/10.1111/nph.18…

My first, first author paper is out! 🍃🌞 @JEcology @mycopat "Ericaceous dwarf shrubs contribute a significant but drought‐sensitive fraction of soil respiration in a boreal pine forest" besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/13…