321 Koshland Hall Department of Plant and Microbial Biology University of California at Berkeley For an overview of the research currently being conducted in the Bruns Lab click here.

Tour the Bruns Lab

• Your virtual tour of the Bruns Lab should start at the beginning. However, you may jump start the tour by looking at some sample results, or by strolling through our study plots at Point Reyes before the fire, Point Reyes after the fire, Tomales Point, the Sierra Nevada, Santa Rosa Island, the McLaughlin Natural Reserve or the world's largest bolete!
• lab group shots: [cross sierra 8.13.07] [gualala 10.26.07]

View the Fungi we study

• Mushrooms
• Mycorrhizal Fungi Part I
• Mycorrhizal Fungi Part II
• Rust Fungi
• Post Fire Fungi from Point Reyes

Useful Items

• Primer Sequences
• Primer Maps:
  • Primer Map
  • 18S Primer Map
  • 28S Primer Map
  • ITS Primer Map
  • Mitochondrial Large Primer Map
• Sequence Alignment Files:
  • Amylopogon Paup file
  • atp6+mtLSU.aln Paup file  atp6.all_fungi.aln Paup file
  • Cronartium ITS Paup file
  • Glomales 5.8S Paup file
  • ML56 database:the ML56 database used in the Bruns (1998) et. al. paper (152 taxa)
  • ML56 database:an updated version (159 taxa) (January 1998)
  • ML56 database:updated by Tom Horton (175 taxa) (November 2000)
  • nuclear ribosomal 5.8S RNA gene sequence database
  • Suillus ITS Paup file used in Kretzer (1996) et. al. paper.text only version of the file
  • Gautieria ITS Paup file used in Bidartondo & Bruns (2002) paper.
  • Tricholoma ITS Paup file used in Bidartondo & Bruns (2002) paper.
• ICOM 3 poster (it's big - 9mb) (Genet size analysis of selected late-stage and multi-stage fungi) (smaller version - 1.2mb)
• Famous Mycologists
• Fungal Environmental and Informatics Network
• Point Reyes MycoBlitz
• Point Reyes MycoBlitz fungal collections and photos

Most Recent Publications:

• S.P. Schechter and T.D. Bruns. 2008. Serpentine and non-serpentine ecotypes of Collinsia sparsiflora associate with distinct arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal assemblages. Molecular Ecology (2008) 17, 3198–3210.
  
  
• Thomas D. Bruns, A. Elizabeth Arnold and Karen W. Hughes. 2008. Fungal networks made of humans: UNITE, FESIN, and frontiers in fungal ecology. New Phytologist 177: 586–588.
  
  
• Peter Kennedy and Tom Bruns. 2007. Mycorrhizas take root at the Ecological Society of America. New Phytologist 176(4): 745–748. doi:10.1111/j.1469-8137.2007.02280.x
  
  
• Peter G. Kennedy, Sarah Hortal, Sara E. Bergemann and and Thomas D. Bruns. 2007. Competitive interactions among three ectomycorrhizal fungi and their relation to host plant performance. Journal of Ecology 95: 1338–1345.
  
  
• Katja Zimmer, Nicole A. Hynson, Gerhard Gebauer, Edith B. Allen, Michael F. Allen and David J. Read. 2007. Wide geographical and ecological distribution of nitrogen and carbon gains from fungi in pyroloids and monotropoids (Ericaceae) and in orchids. New Phytologist 175: 166–175. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2007.02065.x
  
  
• Lisa C. Grubisha, Sarah E. Bergemann and Thomas D. Bruns. 2007. Host islands within the California Northern Channel Islands create fine-scale genetic structure in two sympatric species of the symbiotic ectomycorrhizal fungus Rhizopogon. Molecular Ecology 16(9): 1811-1822. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-294X.2007.03264.x
  
  
• Kabir G. Peay, Thomas D. Bruns, Peter G. Kennedy, Sarah E. Bergemann and Matteo Garbelotto. 2007. A strong species–area relationship for eukaryotic soil microbes: island size matters for ectomycorrhizal fungi. Ecology Letters 10: 470–480. doi: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2007.01035.x. [view cover photo]
  
  
• Kennedy P. G. and K. G. Peay. 2007. Different soil moisture conditions change the outcome of the ectomycorrhizal symbiosis between Rhizopogon species and Pinus muricata. Plant and Soil 291: 155–165. doi: 10.1007/s11104-006-9183-3.
  
  
• Kennedy P. G., Bergemann, S. E., Hortal, S., and T. D. Bruns. 2007. Determining the outcome of field-based competition between two Rhizopogon species using real-time PCR. Molecular Ecology 16(4): 881–890. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-294X.2006.03191.x.
  
  
• Tom Bruns. 2006. Evolutionary biology: A kingdom revised. Nature 443: 758-761. doi:10.1038/443758a.
  
  
• Antonio Izzo, Diem Thi Nguyen and Thomas D. Bruns. 2006. Spatial structure and richness of ectomycorrhizal fungi colonizing bioassay seedlings from resistant propagules in a Sierra Nevada forest: comparisons using two hosts that exhibit different seedling establishment patterns. Mycologia 98(3): 374–383.
  
  
• T. A. Rusca, P. G. Kennedy and T. D. Bruns. 2006. The effect of different pine hosts on the sampling of Rhizopogon spore banks in five Eastern Sierra Nevada forests. New Phytologist 170(3): 551-560.
  
  
• Izzo, A.D., M. Canright, and T.D. Bruns. 2006. The effects of heat treatments on ectomycorrhizal resistant propagules and their ability to colonize bioassay seedlings. Mycological Research 110(2): 196-202.
  
  
• Lilleskov, E. A. and T. D. Bruns. 2005. Spore dispersal of a resupinate ectomycorrhizal fungus, Tomentella sublilacina, via soil food webs. Mycologia 97(4): 762-769.
  
  
• Lisa C. Grubisha, Annette M. Kretzer and Thomas D. Bruns. 2005. Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci from the truffle-like ectomycorrhizal fungi Rhizopogon occidentalis and Rhizopogon vulgaris. Molecular Ecology Notes 5(3): 608-610.
  
  
• Izzo, A.D., M. Meyer, M. North, J.M. Trappe and T.D. Bruns. 2005. Hypogeous ectomycorrhizal fungal species on roots and in small mammal diet in a mixed conifer forest. Forest Science 53(3): 243-254. (ICOM4 poster in pdf format)
  
  
• Bidartondo, M.I. and Bruns, T.D. 2005. On the origins of extreme mycorrhizal specificity in the Monotropoideae (Ericaceae): performance trade-offs during seed germination and seedling development. Molecular Ecology 14: 1549–1560.
  
  
• Grubisha, L.C., Trappe, J.M., Bruns, T.D. 2005. Preliminary record of ectomycorrhizal fungi on two California Channel Islands. Eds. Garcelon, DK, Schwemm, CA. In: Proceedings of the Sixth California Islands Symposium, Ventura, California, December 1-3, 2003, pp. 171-183. National Park Service Technical Publication CHIS-05-01, Institute for Wildlife Studies, Arcata, California.
  
  
• Antonio Izzo, Josephine Agbowo and Thomas D. Bruns. 2005. Detection of plot-level changes in ectomycorrhizal communities across years in an old-growth mixed-conifer forest. New Phytologist 166(2): 619-630. Supplimental figures pdf.
  
  
• Peter G. Kennedy, Thomas D. Bruns. 2005. Priority effects determine the outcome of ectomycorrhizal competition between two Rhizopogon species colonizing Pinus muricata seedlings. New Phytologist 166(2): 631-638.
  
  
• Lilleskov, E. A., Bruns, T. D., Horton, T. R., Taylor, D. L. and Grogan, P. 2004. Detection of forest stand-level spatial structure in ectomycorrhizal fungal communities. - FEMS Microbiology Ecology 49: 319-332.
  
  
• Thomas D. Bruns and Richard P. Shefferson. 2004. Evolutionary studies of ectomycorrhizal fungi: recent advances and future directions. Canadian Journal of Botany 82: 1122–1132.
  
  
• Martin I. Bidartondo, Bastian Burghardt, Gerhard Gebauer, Thomas D. Bruns and David J. Read. 2004. Changing partners in the dark: isotopic and molecular evidence of ectomycorrhizal liaisons between forest orchids and trees. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Biological Sciences 271: 1799–1806.
  
  
• Taylor, D.L., Bruns T.D., Hodges, S.A. 2004. Evidence for mycorrhizal races in a cheating orchid. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London - Series B: Biological Sciences 271: 35-43.
  
  
• Kennedy, P., Izzo, A.D., and T.D. Bruns. 2003. There is high potential for the formation of common mycorrhizal networks between understorey and canopy trees in a mixed evergreen forest. Journal of Ecology 91: 1071-1080.
  
  
• Rasmus Kjøller & Thomas D. Bruns. 2003. Rhizopogon spore bank communities within and among California pine forests. Mycologia 95: 603-613.
  
  
• D. Lee Taylor, Thomas D. Bruns, Timothy M. Szaro, and Scott A. Hodges. 2003. Divergence in mycorrhizal specialization within Hexalectris spicata, a nonphotosynthetic desert orchid. American Journal of Botany 90: 1168-1179.
  
  
• Else C. Vellinga, Rogier P. J. de Kok and Thomas D. Bruns. 2003. Phylogeny and taxonomy of Macrolepiota (Agaricaceae). Mycologia 95(3): 442-456.
  
  
• Lilleskov, E. A. and Bruns, T. D. 2003. Root colonization dynamics of two ectomycorrhizal fungi of contrasting life history strategies are mediated by addition of organic nutrient patches. New Phytologist 159: 141-151.
  
  
• Bidartondo, M.I., Bruns, T.D., Weiss, M., Sergio, C. and D.J. Read. 2003. Specialized cheating of the ectomycorrhizal symbiosis by an epiparasitic liverwort. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Biological Sciences. 270(1517): 835-842.
  
  
• Russell, A.J., Bidartondo, M.I. and Butterfield, B.G. 2002.The root nodules of the Podocarpaceae harbour arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.New Phytologist 156: 283-295.
  
  
• Martin I. Bidartondo, Dirk Redecker, Isabelle Hijrl, Andres Wiemken, Thomas D. Bruns, Laura Dominguez, Alicia Sersic, Jonathan R. Leake and David J. Read. 2002. Epiparasitic plants specialized on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Nature 419: 389-392. News & Views commentary: Hibbett, D.S., Nature 419: 345-346.
  
  
• Bruns, T.D., Bidartondo, M.I., Taylor, D.L. 2002.Host specificity in ectomycorrhizal communities: What do the exceptions tell us? Integrative and Comparative Biology 42 (2): 352-359.
  
  
• Tom Bruns, Jenny Tan, Tim Szaro, Martin Bidartondo and Dirk Redecker. 2002. Survival of Suillus pungens and Amanita francheti ectomycorrhizal genets was rare or absent after a stand-replacing wildfire. New Phytologist 155(3): 517-523.
  
  
• Bidartondo, M. I.& Bruns, T. D. 2002.  Fine-level mycorrhizal specificity in the Monotropoideae (Ericaceae): specificity for fungal species groups. Molecular Ecology 11(3): 557-569.
  
  
• M. I. Bidartondo and T. D. Bruns. 2001.  Extreme specificity in epiparasitic Monotropoideae (Ericaceae): widespread phylogenetic and geographical structure. Molecular Ecology 10(9): 2285 – 2295.
  
  
• Horton, Thomas R. & Bruns, Thomas D. 2001.  The molecular revolution in ectomycorrhizal ecology: peeking into the black-box. Molecular Ecology 10 (8): 1855-1871.
  
  
• Thomas, D. Bruns, Jacqueline Baar, Paul Grogan, Thomas R. Horton,Annette M.Kretzer, Dirk Redecker, Jenny Tan, and D. Lee Taylor. 2001. Community dynamics of ectomycorrhizal fungi following the Mount Vision fire.
  
  
• D. Redecker, T. M. Szaro, R. J. Bowman & T. D. Bruns. 2001. Small genets of Lactarius xanthogalactus, Russula cremoricolor and Amanita francheti in late-stage ectomycorrhizal successions. Molecular Ecology 10(4): 1025-1034.
  
  
• M.I. Bidartondo, J. Baar, and T.D. Bruns. 2001.Low ectomycorrhizal inoculum potential and diversity from soils in and near ancient forests of bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva). Canadian Journal of Botany 79(3): 293-299.
  
  
• Lilleskov, E. K. and Bruns, T. D. 2001. Nitrogen and ectomycorrhizal fungal communities: what we know, what we need to know. New Phytologist 149: 156-158.
  
  
• Lisa C. Grubisha, James M.  Trappe, Randy Molina, Joseph W. Spatafora. 2001. Biology of the ectomycorrhizal genus Rhizopogon. V. Phylogenetic relationships in the Boletales inferred from LSU rDNA sequences. Mycologia. 93: 82-89.
  
  
• Grogan, P.; Baar, J.; Bruns, T. D. 2000.  Below-ground ectomycorrhizal community structure in a recently burned bishop pine forest. Journal of Ecology December, 2000. 88(6): 1051-1062.
  
  
• Thomas D. Bruns and David J. Read. 2000. In vitro germination of nonphotosynthetic, myco-heterotrophic plantsstimulated by fungi isolated from the adult plants. New Phytologist: 148: 335-342.
  
  
• Bidartondo, M. I., Kretzer, A. M., Pine, E. M. and T. D. Bruns.2000. High root concentration and uneven ectomycorrhizal diversity nearSarcodes sanguinea (Ericaceae): A cheater that stimulates its victims? American Journal of Botany 87(12): 1783-1788.
  
  
• Annette M. Kretzer, Martin I. Bidartondo, Lisa Grubisha, Joseph W. Spatafora,Timothy M. Szaro and Thomas D. Bruns. 2000. Regional specialization of Sarcodes sanguinea (Ericaceae) on a single fungal symbiont from the Rhizopogon ellenae (Rhizopogonaceae) species complex. American Journal of Botany 87(12): 1778-1782.
  
  
• Redecker, D., Kodner, R., Graham, L.E. 2000.Glomalean fungi from the Ordovician. Science 289: 1920-1921. [ see press release]
  
  
• Redecker, D. 2000. Specific PCR primers to identify arbuscularmycorrhizal fungi (Glomales) within colonized roots. Mycorrhiza.10: 73-80.
  
  
• Grogan, P., Bruns, T. D. and Chapin, F. S. 2000. Fire effects on ecosystem nitrogen cycling in a Californian bishop pine forest. Oecologia. V122, 537-544.
  
  
• Redecker, D., J.B. Morton and T.D. Bruns. 2000. Molecular phylogeny of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi Glomus sinuosum and Sclerocystis coremioides. Mycologia. 92: 282-285.
  
  
• Redecker, D., J.B. Morton and T.D. Bruns. 2000. Ancestral Lineages of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (Glomales).Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 14(2): 276-284.
  
  
• Hughey, B. D., G. C. Adams, T. D. Bruns and D. S. Hibbett. 2000. Phylogeny of Calostoma, the gelatinous-stalked puffball, based on nuclear and mitochondrial ribosomal DNA sequences. Mycologia. 92: 94-104.

• T.D. Bruns, T.M. Szaro, M. Gardes, K.W. Cullings, J.J. Pan, D.L. Taylor, T.R. Horton, A. Kretzer, M. Garbelotto and Y. Li. 1998.  A sequence database for the identification of ectomycorrhizal Basidiomycetes by phylogenetic analysis. Molecular Ecology, v.7, n.3, (1998): 257-272.

  Sequence alignment: the ML56 database used in the Bruns (1998) et. al. paper (152 taxa):
  [PAUP version]  [PAUP version - not interleaved]  [Word 5.1 version]  [text only version]
  
  the January 1998 version of the ML56 database (159 taxa):
  [PAUP version]  [text only version]
  
  an updated (by Tom Horton) version (November 2000) of the ML56 database (175 taxa):
  [PAUP version]  [text only version]

• color font for Macintosh computers  read me file

Web Sites of Mycological Interest

• British Columbia Ectomycorrhizal Research Network (BCERN)
• British Mycological Society
• Bruns Lab at UC Berkeley
• Cortbase - a nomenclatural database of corticioid fungi (Hymenomycetes)
• Emerencia: A web-service on insufficiently identified fungal ITS sequences: accession number
• Emerencia: A web-service on insufficiently identified fungal ITS sequences: genus
• Forest Mycology and Mycorrhiza Research Team: Corvallis Oregon
• Fungal Genetics Stock Center
• Fungal Environmental and Informatics Network
• the Fifth Kingdom
• Garbelotto Lab at UC Berkeley: Forest Pathology and Mycology Cooperative Extention Laboratory
• ICOM1: the First International Conference on Mycorrhizae (Berkeley CA) (1996)
• ICOM2: the Second International Conference on Mycorrhizae (Uppsala Sweden) (1998)
• ICOM3: the Third International Conference on Mycorrhizae (Adelaide Australia) (2001)
• ICOM4: the Fourth International Conference on Mycorrhizae (Montreal Canada) (2003)
• ICOM5: the Fifth International Conference on Mycorrhizae (Grenada Spain) (2006)
• INVAM: International Culture Collection of Arbuscular and Vesicular-Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi
• Micologia.net - an interesting Spanish site
• Mycological and Lichenological Collection Catalogs
• Mycology at SFSU - Desjardin Lab
• Mycological Society of America
• Mycological Society of San Francisco
• Mycorrhizal Fungi Databases
• Mycorrhiza Information Exchange Web Site
• Mykoweb
• Point Reyes MycoBlitz
• Point Reyes MycoBlitz fungal collections and photos
• Root Biology and Mycorrhiza Research Group: Universityof Guelph Ontario
• the Russulales Website
• Taylor Lab at UC Berkeley
• The Tree of Life: Ascomycota
• The Tree of Life: Basidiomycota
• UNITE: a molecular database for the identification of ectomycorrhizal fungi
• University of Alberta Microfungus Collection and Herbarium (UAMH)
• Why should you join MSA
• The WWW Virtual Library: Mycology

Other Web Sites of Biological Interest

• Entrez Browser
• the European Ribosomal RNA database
• Microbial Germplasm Database
• MacClade Home Page
• NCGR - the National Center for Genome Resources
• Phylogenetic Analysis Computer Programs
• Plant Biology at UC Berkeley
• Ribosomal Data Base
• The Tree of Life: A Phylogenetic Navigator for the Internet

Photographs of the Berkeley Campus by Ansel Adams

• UCR/CMP Ansel Adams Fiat Lux Database
• West from the "Big C", 1965.
• Plaza North of Student Union, 1966.
• Memorial Stadium from Southeast, 1966.
• View from "Big C" Hill, Eucalyptus Grove, 1965.

Places to Surf

• the Bovine Bakery, Point Reyes Station
• Foreign exchange rates:164 Currencies
• Le Louvre
• Origami Boulder Company
• San Francisco Satellite Image
• Thomas: Legislative Information: the US Congress
• UC Berkeley Home Page
• UC Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
• The White House

Acknowledgment and Disclaimer:

• Some of the material found on this website is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recomendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation (NSF).