Professor Kathleen K. Treseder (Ecology and Evolutionary Biology) studies the contribution of soil organisms to climate change. Her work on soil fungi was recently featured in the Orange County Register. Fungi can recycle organic molecules from dead organisms within the soil, breaking down their carbon and releasing carbon dioxide.  In the past, fungi were thought to help reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide, but Professor Treseder and others are uncovering a new role for fungi, as generators of excess atmospheric carbon dioxide. With a more complete picture of how fungi contribute to the global carbon cycle, Professor Treseder’s research will help improve the accuracy of future computer models on climate change. Read the full article here.