Plant and Fungal Trees of Life (PAFTOL)
Discovering and disseminating the evolutionary history of all plant and fungal genera.
PAFTOLComparative Fungal Biology
We study the diversity, evolution and ecology of fungi using taxonomy, systematics and molecular approaches.
Team lead: Dr Ester Gaya
Exploring the diversity and evolution of the world’s fungi.
All life depends on plants, but all plants depend on fungi. With their multiple ecological roles (e.g. as decomposers, symbionts, pathogens), fungi are fundamental to life on Earth. Yet knowledge of fungal biology lags far behind that of plants.
Kew has a strong track record in fungal diversity research and is home to the largest fungarium in the world, holding over 1.25 million fungal specimens. The Comparative Fungal Biology team combines fundamental taxonomic expertise with modern molecular approaches and ecological perspectives. Our research ranges from baseline diversity studies in biodiversity hotspots through to reconstructing the fungal tree of life, with a special emphasis on evolution and ecology of
lifestyles and symbiotic interactions.
We have special expertise in lichens, mycorrhizal fungi and ant-farmed fungi, and use these as model groups to address broader questions related to determinants of diversity, community ecology and global change.
Team members
Senior research leader
Dr Ester Gaya
Research leaders
Dr Laura Martinez-Suz
Early career research fellows
Dr Raquel Pino-Bodas
Research assistants
Elena Arrigoni
Sophie Lane
Outreach officer
Rich Wright
Honorary research associates
Prof Martin I Bidartondo
Dr David Hawksworth
Dr Jill Kowal
PhD students
Ricardo Arraiano-Castilho
Rowena Hill
Theo Llewellyn
Projects
Darwin Tree of Life
With species under threat from climate change and human development, genetic data can help conserve global biodiversity for future generations.
DTOL
Boyacá’s Forgotten Kingdom
This project is designed to explore the diversity of the Kingdom Fungi in Boyacá, Colombia.
Boyacá’s Forgotten Kingdom
Plant-fungal interactions in Alpine ecosystems
Investigating fungal mycorrhizas and their plant hosts across elevational and latitudinal gradients in Alpine ecosystems.
Plant-fungal interactions in Alpine ecosystems
Symbiont policing and mutualism maintenance
Investigating whether one or more mycoviruses suppress sexual reproduction in the fungal crops of fungus-growing ants.
Symbiont policing and mutualism maintenance