As today was my first school day of my senior year, it is also my first day as an official undergraduate researcher in the soil lab of Dr. Bala Chaudhary. Therefore, I am posting some details and goals of the project that are long overdue, as I joined the research group in June!
The project focuses on the mycorrhizal fungi of green roofs on Loyola University Chicago's campuses. So far we have taken soil samples and stability measurements at a variety of locations and elevations and are now trying to determine the fungal diversity of a variety of green roof types-from pre-made sedum tiles to prairie plants planted 5 stories up. We hope that our findings on the fungal community can be useful in the implementation of green roofs, improving their sustainability, and providing guidance on options for green roofs.
Using a bioassay of corn, we hope to see the diversity of fungi that associate with the corn plants. Today I started germinating the Zea mays in the hopes that we can grow the corn in the next couple weeks in Loyola's new Ecodome in the Institute of Environmental Sustainability. I will have more details about the specifics of the project as our lab, the Ecodome, and Institute itself are finished and ready for some very interesting research!
