Colin Averill
Alumnus, Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Graduate Program
NOAA Climate and Global Change Postdoctoral Fellow, Boston University

"Symbiosis between trees and fungi: how mycorrhizae connect our forests"

Mycorrhizal fungi form a symbiosis with the roots of most trees on Earth. These fungal networks enable entire forests to communicate and compete, and new research shows mycorrhizal fungi are central to understanding how forests will respond to global environmental change. Come on out to Science Under the Stars this March to learn about new research showing how these fungi connect forests, as well as new evidence that rapid global environmental change is altering our forests by manipulating the forest fungal microbiome.

Science Under the Stars is a free, monthly public outreach lecture series founded and organized by graduate students in the Department of Integrative Biology at The University of Texas at Austin. Events are held outdoors at Brackenridge Field Laboratory, 2907 Lake Austin Blvd, Austin, Texas 78703. In the case of inclement weather, lectures are held indoors.

Here’s the schedule for this month’s event:

• 6:30 pm: Food and displays of local animals and plants found at Brackenridge Field Laboratory will be available. Also, meet with our children’s division for fun activities designed for all ages.
• 7:00 pm: Settle in, because the talk begins now!
• 7:45 pm: Q&A with the speaker