TREE-ple Threat

Caroline Makowka Bani Gourab Reese Sheeler

We are TREE-ple Threat, a subgroup of ESSRE's 2024 group! We are attempting to measure the differences in fungi populations as well as nutrient levels between living and dead trees through soil ecology tests. This website is a presentation of our findings.

Fungal Populations and Phosphorus and Sulfur Availability Surrounding Living and Non-Living Trees

E.S.S.R.E

ESSRE is an acronym for the Environmental Science Summer Research Experience. ESSRE is described on the official website, "Launched in July of 2001, the Environmental Science Summer Research Experience for Young Women is a three-week summer internship in environmental field studies for students in grades 9-12 from the greater Baltimore area. Participants explore the soil chemistry and biota of the Roland Park Country School campus, author and test lab activities for studying soil micro-environments, and adapt these labs for dissemination and use in a wide variety of educational situations and socio-economic conditions. The program's primary objectives are to give this target audience the opportunity to engage in authentic, self-directed primary research into the ecological roles of soil microbes and, as a result, to nurture their interest in science in general as a possible career option." We have been fortunate enough to participate in this program and bring you this website and presentation of our research.

Introduction

Recent research suggests that trees form mycorrhizal networks, which are composed of the hyphae of certain types of fungi that connect tree roots to transport nutrients between organisms in symbiosis. These networks, which are found within forest soils, play a crucial role in the decomposition of nutrients, particularly when a tree dies and releases its nutrients back into the ecosystem. An experiment was proposed to examine the relationships between nutrients and their availability in areas with both living and deceased trees.

Fungi, such as yeast and mold, act as the primary decomposers in soil ecosystems. Some fungi (such as mold), are mycorrhizal and also provide nutrients to trees in exchange for carbon. Phosphorus and sulfur were tested in the experiment, with phosphorus being tested due to the connections between fungi and plants. Phosphorus and sulfur are both required nutrients that fungi help supply to plants. This symbiotic relationship sparked our interest, and became the topic of our experiment.

We hypothesize that yeast populations and nutrient availability will increase around non-living trees, while living trees will have large mold populations but less nutrient availability due to tree uptake.

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