Dr Laura Martinez-Suz

Research Leader

Department

Team

Conservation Genetics and Molecular Ecology

Specialism

Fungal ecology; mycorrhizal symbiosis; ectomycorrhizas; community ecology; environmental drivers; fungal distributions, functional diversity; forests; oak; Alps

Biography

I have a strong interest in fungal ecology, particularly in mycorrhizal symbiosis with a focus on ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi. I am especially interested in (1) the link between taxonomic and functional diversity of ECM fungi in forests and their implications in ecosystem processes; (2) the environmental factors that drive their diversity in the face to future forest changes and; (3) the specialization between ECM fungi and their tree hosts. The cryptic, below-ground growth of these fungi has been an obstacle to our understanding of them despite their pivotal role in terrestrial ecosystems. In general, my research involves the application of molecular methods, which largely overcomes this obstacle, to address fundamental biological and ecological questions.

Qualifications and appointments

PhD Forest Engineering, Universitat de Lleida, Spain, 2008
MSc Forest Engineering, Universitat de Lleida, Spain, 2003
BSc Biological Sciences, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain, 2000

Selected publications

van der Linde, S., Suz, L.M., Orme, C.D.L. et al. (2018)

Environment and host as large-scale controls of ectomycorrhizal fungi.

Nature 558: 243–248.

Alvarez-Lafuente, A., Benito-Matias, L.F., Peñuelas-Rubira, J.L. & Suz, L.M. (2017)

Multi-cropping edible truffles and sweet chestnuts: production of high quality Castanea sativa seedlings inoculated with Tuber aestivum, its ecotype T. uncinatum, T. brumale and T. macrosporum.

Mycorrhiza 28:29-38.

Brunner, I., Frey, B., Hartmann, M., Zimmermann, S., Graf, F., Suz, L.M., Niskanen, T, Bidartondo, MI, Senn-Irlet, B (2017).

Ecology of alpine macrofungi - combining historical with recent data.

Frontiers in Microbiology 8: 2066.

Suz, L.M., Kallow, S., Reed, K., Bidartondo, M.I. & Barsoum, N. (2017)

Pine mycorrhizal communities in pure and mixed pine-oak forests: abiotic environment trumps neighboring oak host effects.

Forest Ecology and Management 406: 370-380.

Suz, L.M., Barsoum, N., Benham, S., Cheffings, C., Cox, F., Hackett, L., Jones, A.G., Mueller, G.M., Orme, D., Seidling, W., Van der Linde, S. & Bidartondo, M.I. (2015).

Monitoring ectomycorrhizal fungi at large scales for science, forest management, fungal conservation and environmental policy

Annals of Forest Science 72: 877.

Suz, L.M., Barsoum, N., Benham, S., Dietrich, H.-P., Fetzer, K.D., Fischer, R., García, P., Gehrman, J., Kristöfel, F., Manninger, M., Neagu, S., Nicolas, M., Oldenburger, J., Raspe, S., Sánchez, G., Schröck, H.W., Schubert, A., Verheyen, K., Verstraeten, A. & Bidartondo*, M.I. (2014).