Laura M. Bogar

Laura M. Bogar serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Plant Biology at the University of California, Davis, where she investigates the critical interplay between forest trees and ectomycorrhizal fungi under environmental stress. Her research bridges plant physiology, soil ecology, and climate science to address pressing questions about forest resilience in a changing world.

Her core research focuses on:

• Ectomycorrhizal Symbiosis Dynamics: Examining how resource exchange, partner choice, and competitive interactions govern tree-fungal mutualisms
• Disturbance Ecology: Quantifying impacts of drought, fire, and nitrogen deposition on forest regeneration and soil microbial communities
• Biodiversity Maintenance Mechanisms: Uncovering evolutionary strategies like metabolic bet-hedging that preserve functional diversity in symbiotic networks

Analysis of Dr. Bogar's publication record reveals consistent emphasis on environmental drivers of symbiotic relationships, with particular attention to drought physiology, fire ecology, and nitrogen cycling. Her work demonstrates how abiotic stressors reshape soil microbial networks and alter resource economics in tree-fungal partnerships, directly informing forest management strategies for climate adaptation.

Dr. Bogar has secured competitive research funding including an NSF Collaborative Research grant (2023) investigating metabolic bet-hedging as a mechanism for maintaining functional diversity in tree-ectomycorrhizal mutualisms. Her work leverages field experiments, molecular techniques, and ecological modeling to address fundamental questions about ecosystem stability under global change.