Adaptation of Fungi to Nitrogen
I am testing how Nitrogen pollution affects decomposer fungi by manipulating fungi isolated from forest plots - the Chronic Nitrogen Amendment Study at the Harvard Forest - in a lab environment to measure characteristics of their growth including growth rate, respiration rate, and Nitrogen content of biomass.
Flasks growing fungi hooked up to the gas manifold to purge with CO2-free air. Purging makes it easier to collect and quantify CO2 produced from fungal respiration.
Lab bench set up to harvest fungal biomass and liquid media in which the fungi have grown. Biomass samples will be weighed and analyzed for total N & C content, and media will be analyzed for proteins / enzymes (... someday).
Some images from my lab experiment so far! I'll be adding more here soon, stay tuned!
Fungal filled flasks on shakers in the incubator for constant growth conditions. (With a Nora in the reflection.)
Another pic of the gas manifold to purge the flasks with CO2-free air.
Flasks have been sealed and purged for 24 hours - they are ready to collect CO2!
Close up of flasks in the incubator after inoculation but before they have been sealed with silicone septa to trap in gas.