Summary
Fungi are a diverse Kingdom, with an estimated 2-3 million species, playing essential roles in ecosystem functioning and economic enterprises. Despite the importance of fungi to ecosystems and society, fungal conservation is underdeveloped compared to that for plants and animals, and is challenged by limited data on fungal biodiversity, distributions, and ecological roles. This project will study oak savannas, which are ecosystems that are being lost in the Midwest due to land-use changes and fire suppression. These land use changes have caused a process called "mesophication," where shade-tol
