B: Biodiversity & functional diversity at gene, species and community level
Problem: Higher biodiversity at gene, species and ecosystem level leads to increased productivity (functioning) and resilience of a forest ecosystem in relation to climate change effects (Thompson et al. 2009). To understand the functioning and resilience of a forest ecosystem to changes in the environment the concept of functional biodiversity (i.e. which and how do different species in the diverse complexity of the forests contribute to the functioning of that ecosystem) and defining the specific organisms that the ecosystem functioning relies on is of utmost importance. Special attention will be on key and umbrella species in forest ecosystems, as well as on ‘hidden species’ (such as selected groups of organisms in forest soil and the rhizosphere which are crucial for ecosystem functioning, but still under-studied regarding their potential, diversity and function).
RID target achievement: Development of standardised microscopy techniques as an essential prerequisite to visualize, compare and define taxa in combination with microdissection, and genomic and transcriptomic high-throughput sequencing approaches adapted to forest tree (roots, wood), fungal (mycorrhiza, pathogens) and soil (bacteria, insects,...) samples.
Collaborative partner involved: HMGU (lead by D. Ernst), SWANSEA (lead by D. McCaroll), ULund (lead by H. Wallander) a specialized technitian in microscopy techniques to be employed (M. Zupančič)

Expected outputs:
-    B: Developed multiuse microscopy & microdissection center: recruited a specialized technitian – Martin Zupančič
-    B: Protocols developed for primer development, large-scale sequencing and data interpretation
-    B: Developed molecular analysis and interpretation center