Korena Mafune

FORKS — Researcher Korena Mafune will present her latest findings on old-growth temperate rain forests in Western Washington at 7 tonight. … Mafune will speak about the lifelong relationships between plants and fungi and how they contribute to the characteristics of old-growth temperate rain forests. Throughout the past three decades, organic canopy soils and adventitious roots have been reported in temperate old-growth rain forests. Despite these reports, experiments have not elucidated their role in the functioning and resilience of these rain forests to droughts. Evidence shows adventitious roots form fungal mutualists, but not how diversity and functional roles vary compared to the forest floors.