Ep. 159: Mycorrhizal Ecology, Soil Biodiversity & Political Instability in South America (feat. Dr. César Marin)

Today on Mushroom Hour we are honored by the presence of Dr. César Marin – Researcher and Academic at the Center for Research and Innovation for Climate Change, School of Sciences, Santo Tomas University in Chile. Among his many accomplished roles, César has been a Postdoc at the Department of Mycorrhizal Symbioses, at the Czech Academy of Sciences, a Researcher at the Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Institute of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences of the University of O’Higgins and at the Department of Ecosystems and Environment, of the School of Agronomy and Forestry Engineering, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile AND Professor of “Soil, Ecosystems, and Global Change” at the Open University of Recoleta. Dr. Marin is the founder and lead of the South American Mycorrhizal Research Network, he is on the Board of Directors of the International Mycorrhiza Society, one of the initial members/Network laboratory of the Soil Biodiversity Observation Network (SoilBON), and a Research Associate of the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks (SPUN). He is currently Editor-in-Chief of the International Mycorrhiza Society Newsletter, on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Sustainable Agriculture and Environment and of the Evolutionary and Genomic Microbiology section, Scientific Adviser of FungiFest, and collaborator on Skype a Scientist.

TOPICS COVERED:

• Mycorrhizal Ecology
• Underground Nutrient Economy
• The Oldest Tree in the World
• How Mineral Availability Shapes Fungal Ecologies in Soil
• Starting a Research Career in Chile
• Emerging Mycology Research in South America
• Undiscovered Biodiversity
• Living with Political Violence in Colombia
• How Science can Diffuse Violence and Contribute to Positive Social Change
• South American Mycorrhizal Research Network
• Protecting Land Based on Below-Ground Biodiversity
• Fungal Allies & Adapting to a Changing Environment
• Multilevel Natural Selection Theory
• How to Think About the Practice of Science

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Dr. César Marin Website: https://cesar-marin.com/
• SPUN: https://www.spun.earth/
• SoilBON: https://www.globalsoilbiodiversity.org/soilbon
• South American Mycorrhizal Research Network: https://southmycorrhizas.org/
• "Gran Abuelo" tree in Chile: https://www.sciencealert.com/a-cypress-in-chile-could-soon-break-the-record-for-worlds-oldest-tree
• Butyriboletus loyo (fungus): https://www.ffungi.org/blog/butyriboletus-loyo-surviving-extinction
• Cortinarius magellanicus (fungus): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cortinarius_magellanicus
• Rhizoglomus cacao (fungus): https://www.schweizerbart.de/papers/nova_hedwigia/detail/115/101684/Rhizoglomus_cacao_a_new_species_of_the_Glomeraceae?af=crossref