Investigating the mechanisms and outcomes of ectomycorrhizal mutualism between plants and fungi, from genes to ecosystems.
We are a research group in the Department of Plant Biology at the University of California, Davis. We use tools from molecular biology, physiology, and ecology to understand how plant roots and soil fungi cooperate, and how that cooperation affects forests.
Are you an undergraduate interested in research with us? Please fill out this interest form and we will reach out the next time we have an opening!
Understanding how small-scale mycorrhizal mechanisms affect landscape-scale processes. (View of oak savannah from Grass Mountain, outside of Santa Barbara, CA.)
We are a small but mighty team of researchers! Read on for more information. The Bogar Lab is looking to add graduate student and/or postdoctoral members in the next few years, and Laura is always happy to work with prospective applicants on fellowship applications to fund positions here -- please get in touch if this might be of interest to you!
I am a researcher focused on interactions between plant roots and soil fungi, particularly ectomycorrhizal mutualism between trees and mushrooms like boletes and chanterelles. I use RNA sequencing (for gene expression analysis and community characterization), physiological measurements, and stable isotope enrichment to untangle how mycorrhizal systems work, and couple these efforts with field sampling to connect these fine-scale mechanisms to landscape and ecosystem processes. For more information, check out my Google Scholar page!
When I am not in the lab, you can find me inventing new jogging loops on the Davis greenbelt, collecting mushrooms for the table or for fiber dyeing, and spending time with family.
Brittany obtained her BS in Botany from Cal Poly Humboldt in 2022. As an undergraduate, her research focused on Devonian plant fossils and acetate peel method development in the Tomescu lab. Her research interests focus on biodiversity, evo-devo, and molecular ecology broadly, and more specifically, she is interested in understanding the molecular mechanisms that drive mutualistic symbioses between fungi and photosynthetic partners, such as in lichens and ectomycorrhizal fungi. The promotion of diversity, equity, and inclusion in academia is also a high priority for Brittany, and she actively seeks opportunities to participate in DEI initiatives whenever possible. In her free time, Brittany enjoys exploring the outdoors, making art, playing Magic the Gathering, and hanging out with her husband, dog, and two cats.
Dustin is a senior undergraduate Plant Biology major who loves all things mycology and hopes to soon transition that passion into graduate school. After his family was impacted by the Caldor Fire in 2021, he was inspired to tie wildfire ecology in with his mycology research. He is currently researching the impacts of wildfire on fungal soil communities with an emphasis on ectomycorrhizal fungi in burned soils, and their effects on seedling performance. In his spare time, Dustin enjoys anything outdoor related, gardening, spending time with family and friends, reading, art, wine tasting, sports, and petting cute doggos.
Demorie (like memory) is an undergraduate senior majoring in Plant Sciences with an emphasis in Plant Breeding and Genetics. While her focus is on plants, she is also deeply fascinated in fungi and their involvement in the rhizosphere. She is currently studying the effect of ectomycorrhizal symbiosis on drought tolerance in Douglas Fir seedlings. With the impending threat of climate change, she believes the collaboration between plant sciences and mycology could enhance global agriculture and promote the conservation of biodiversity. She aims to ameliorate the ramifications that were bred from the Green Revolution and hopes to partake in the development of a more conservational green revolution. When she is not in the lab/watering 100+ plants, she is either gardening with her cat at home, reading whilst knitting, baking or going to concerts.
Rosalyn is a rising fourth year student who joined the Bogar lab in the fall of 2022. She is currently majoring in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior (NPB), but is very interested in all things ecology, and is minoring in Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity. During her time in the lab, she has developed a much larger appreciation for ectomycorrhizal fungi, and their role in not only nutrient acquisition for their symbiotic partners, but also their emerging influence in drought conditions and fire ecology. She has been working alongside PhD student Brittany K. Long on developing a procedure to artificially synthesize symbioses between ectomycorrhizal fungi and tree seedlings. She also loves to occasionally lift heavy weights.
Hello, my name is Ernest N. Walker and I’m a researcher and lab manager in the Bogar Lab. I joined the lab as an undergraduate in September 2022 and graduated from UC Davis with a Biology degree in December 2022 . Fungi and plant biology have never been a focus of mine, but once I joined this lab I absolutely fell in love. In the lab you’ll catch me in the culturing room managing our culture collection, in the field collecting soil and mycorrhiza samples, or listening to my favorite tunes BLASTING away at some data. My project focus right now is an experiment designed to look at N as a nutrient source for Bishop pines, both with or without mycorrhiza. In my spare time, I’m chilling with my cat Grayson, gaming with some friends, or longboarding around Davis.