The ecological and functional consequences of fire in heathlands

Global fire regimes are changing, becoming more frequent and more severe. These changes irrevocably alter plant and soil communities, potentially

affecting important interactions between plants and symbiotic soil mutualists. Changing plant-soil mutualisms influence crucial ecosystem functions such

as nutrient cycling, soil carbon storage and plant growth, as well as above- and below-ground biodiversity. However, the effects of changing fire regimes on

plant-soil interactions remains a significant research gap.The project will undertake a comparative study of fire-plant-soil interactions in heathlands globally. In these systems, several major shrub taxa form specialised symbioses with mycorrhizal fungi in the soil, but the effects of fire on these interactions are poorly understood.