The team’s research involves theoretical and practical aspects of DNA sequence-based taxonomy and phylogenetics with an emphasis on fungi.
The expertise and IT tools developed are utilized in high-throughput DNA sequencing based analyses of fungal communities, targeting questions connected with global fungal diversity under current and future climates.
The team is developing a digital repository for storing, managing, sharing and publishing biodiversity data from all organism groups.
| Urmas Kõljalg | Professor (mycology), Head of the Global biodiversity team, Department of Botany, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu ; Member of Estonian Academy of Sciences |
| [email protected] | CVlink opens in new page |
Global map showing the field work sites of the team
Research staff
| Urmas Kõljalg | Professor, PhD |
| Leho Tedersoo | Professor, PhD |
| Kadri Põldmaa | Assoc. Professor, PhD |
| Ave Suija | Assoc. Professor, PhD |
| Kessy Abarenkov | Research Fellow, PhD |
| Mohammad Bahram | Assoc. Professor, PhD |
| Irja Saar | Research Fellow, PhD |
| Heidi Tamm | Research Fellow, PhD |
| Kadri Pärtel | Research Fellow, PhD |
| Sergei Põlme | Research Fellow, PhD |
| Niloufar Hagh Doust | Research Fellow, PhD |
| Vladimir Mikryukov | Research Fellow, PhD |
Assistant staff
| Rasmus Puusepp | Laboratory Assistant |
PhD students and their research topics
| Taavi Riit | Biogeography of Oomycetes |
| Indrek Hiiesalu | Climate change effects on arctic and boreal soil fungal communities |
| Ahto Agan | Molecular identification of forest pathogens |
| Veljo Runnel | Citizen Science data in research - their reliability and validation |
| Marko Peterson | Mobile applications and web services for biodiversity informatics - the data mining, management and analysis |
| Kristjan Adojaan | Online information system for the biological characters and straits |
| Kati Küngas | Linking the visible and hidden diversity of fungi: ascomycetes inhabiting trees in boreal forests |
| Farzad Aslani | Towards understanding the biogeography of soil microbial functions and taxa using metagenomics |
| Daniyal Gohar | Comparative population genomics and microbionomics of chanterelle (Chantharellus cibarius) fruiting-bodies |
| Anton Savchenko | Systematics and evolution of complexity in Dacrymycetes |
| Saleh Rahimlouye Baraby | The effect on mycorrhiza type on biodiversity and fuctionality of soil |
| Rashek Amiri | In situ detection of mutualistic and pathogenic fungi using third generation sequensing technologies and advanced bioinformatics tools |
| Iryna Yatsiuk | Global study of invasive fungi: species delimitation, identification, communication and visualisation |
| Sanni Färkkilä | Quantification of nutrient flow in mycorrhizal systems using nanoparticles |
| Avid Azadnia | |
| John Yangyuoru Kupagme |