GECO-seminar: Changes in the soil fungal community across the mountain birch tree line ecotone

Ecosystems all over the world is undergoing changes due to the ongoing climate warming. In Norway we predict that the tree line, mostly formed by mountain birch, will migrate upwards due to climate change as well as changes in domestic grazing pressure. There is normally a marked vegetation turnover in this ecotone, but the corresponding belowground microbiome is in comparison poorly characterized. My aim is to analyze changes in the soil fungal community in this ecotone using DNA metabarcoding, ordination methods and ergosterol measurements. Based on the results from my findings I aim to infer potential consequences of changes in the tree line with regards to the soil fungal communities and carbon content.