Engaging citizens in the process of science helps them cultivate meaningful connections and an understanding of ecosystem functioning. Additionally, providing undergraduates with scientific research experience can be critically important to their preparation for life in a scientific field. What if you could do both while building a robust and versatile dataset? The Forest Fungi Project launched by the Lankau Lab in the Plant Pathology Department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison accomplishes all three objectives.
Results/Conclusions
More than 400 citizens have contributed to the collection of root and soil samples within all states east of the Mississippi River. To date, we have received >600 samples from >40 distinct locations and >10 tree species. These samples were processed and analyzed by undergraduate students during three consecutive years as part of a course curriculum. From these data, we can ask a variety of questions relating to species interactions, climate change impacts on forest biota, as well as the biogeography and community composition of microbial species, including the environmental conditions that impact their distribution. The data generated from this ongoing outreach and education project will then be made available to the public through the Forest Fungi Project webpage.