Sample interview questions: How do you assess the impact of forest disturbances on fungal communities?
Sample answer:
Assessing the Impact of Forest Disturbances on Fungal Communities:
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Field Surveys: Conduct systematic vegetation surveys to record species composition and abundance of fungal communities. Compare pre- and post-disturbance data to assess changes in community structure and diversity.
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Molecular Techniques: Collect fungal specimens and extract DNA for sequencing. Use high-throughput sequencing methods (e.g., Illumina MiSeq) to identify and quantify fungal taxa, including species richness, diversity indices, and community composition.
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Functional Analysis: Determine the functional roles of fungal communities by assessing their enzymatic activity, nutrient cycling rates, and decomposition processes. This involves measuring parameters such as soil respiration, nitrogen mineralization, and lignin degradation.
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Experimental Manipulations: Establish controlled experiments to isolate and quantify the effects of specific disturbance factors (e.g., fire, logging, insect out… Read full answer