Reserach aims
In this project, we will obtain new knowledge on how fungi are able to endure global change through local adaptation. Moreover, we will investigate the genetic effects of secondary contact during range shifts induced by global change processes. During recent years, we have established the wood decomposer fungus Trichaptum abietinum as a model species to investigate adaptation and speciation processes connected to climate change.
We possess a comprehensive culture collection representing a global sample of this fungus, as well as an archive of >450 sequenced genomes. We will use available strains and genomic material to investigate how fungi have recurrently adapted and evolved new species during periods of climate change connected to the last glaciations.
In this project we will continue the development of the model system by adding transcriptomic and genomic evidence for the mechanisms allowing both adaptation and speciation. The project will provide an overview of how, and to which extent, species are able to adapt to a new climate and how climate change will affect biodiversity and important ecosystem functions.
The results will provide important information to UN sustainability goal 15 Life on Land and its goal to avoid biodiversity loss to mitigate climate challenges. Further, improved knowledge on how key decomposer fungi are affected by climate change, with tentative influences on carbon stocks, will provide information about climate change mitigation for UN sustainability goal 13 Climate Action.
The project is supported by the sustainability initiative by The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at the University of Oslo