Professor Lynne Boddy

I am a decomposition ecologist / fungal ecologist, particularly fascinated by the activities of the mycelia of woodland fungi. I have researched the ecology of wood decomposition and wood decay fungi since the mid-1970s. I have pioneered work on the fungal community structure and dynamics in wood. My team has investigated the outcome of fungal interactions, how these change depending on biotic and abiotic factors, and have used this information to explain patterns of fungal community structure and development. A deeper understanding of interactions has come from studying gene expression during interspecific interactions and production of volatile and diffusible organic compounds during mycelial interactions. We have revealed the foraging ecology, network architecture and key roles of cord-forming basidiomycetes in nutrient translocation and wood decay in forest ecosystems, and made major advances in understanding the effects of invertebrate grazing on these processes. Recent work has revealed major phenological trends in fungal fruiting and distribution, with major implications for mycelial activity and ecosystem functioning. We are currently focussing on decay communities in the centre of veteran trees, ash dieback and climate change.