Mycorrhiza and other soil microbes have a large impact on plant communities and plant function. Due to changes in climate and range shifts, plants are likely to encounter new microbial communities. In my master, I aim to develop a method for studying how different soil microbial communities affects plants responses to stress. I focus mainly on ozone effects on shrubs of Salix (Vierbusker) growing in northern Norway.
Tall shrubs are rapidly expanding in arctic and alpine areas, and this invasion is hypothesized to amplify global warming. Ozone is extremely toxic to plants, and the gas has strong negative effects on plant productivity. Ground level concentrations of ozone has increased due to human activity. Could this increase possibly slow the shrub expansion?
