Alpine ectomycorrhizal fungi in Scotland: Exploring the biogeography of undiscovered fungal communities

When in the hills, you may have noticed mushrooms you'd normally expect to find in woodlands...far away from any obvious trees. These fungi are mycorrhizal (partnership) fungi that grow in and around the roots of Scottish alpine ectomycorrhizal plant roots such as Alpine Bearberry and Dwarf Birch. However, we know amazingly little about the diversity and distribution of these fungi, some of which are only found in alpine habitats. In an update to the Scottish Fungi research page, Emily Carroll tells us about her PhD into this fascinating group of fungi with some exciting discoveries!