I am particularly interested in contributing my expertise to include aquatic fungi, in particular freshwater fungi, into a proposal. Aquatic fungi are frequently overlooked, but their major role in many ecosystem processes make them essential to achieve healthy ecosystems. I have vast experience in studying aquatic fungi decomposers of plant organic matter in freshwater ecosystems, both in the field and in laboratory manipulative studies. I believe that to "improve our understanding of novel ecosystems with holistic, systemic, and integrated approaches", aquatic fungi need to be included.
freshwaters, streams, aquatic fungi, biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, organic matter decomposition, fungal biomass, dna barcoding, metabarcoding, global change, conidia morphology