Author: Elyse    Daub

Major:

Graduation Year: 2022

Thesis Advisor: Peter Avis

Description of Publication: The decomposition of wood is driven by a combination of abiotic and biotic factors, the most influential of them all are fungi. These decomposer fungi use the wood for food, digesting woody material to absorb nutrients and release carbon dioxide. Fungi are the primary drivers of decomposition in most terrestrial ecosystems; thus, the rate and degree of decomposition are greatly dependent on the community of fungi found on woody debris. However, little is known about which fungi decompose woody debris most efficiently. This study aims to investigate the decomposer fungi in the Bear Brook Watershed via molecular techniques and quantify their rates of decomposition to understand which fungi are the most effective decomposers.

Location of Publication:

URL to Thesis: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/honors/769