My research interests lie in understanding the trophic interactions species use to meet their energetic requirements. My post-doctoral project takes my experience investigating the nutritional symbiosis between coral and algae and expands it into other symbiotic marine invertebrates, vascular plants associated with mycorrhizal fungi, and lichens. I will quantify nutrient sharing between a diversity of symbiotic partners from these three groups using stable isotope analysis to test the hypothesis that nutrient sharing is higher in obligate, intracellular symbioses with vertical transmission compared to facultative, extracellular relationships with horizontal transmission. I also will manipulate the associations of one plant (the grey alder; Alnus incana) that can form symbioses with both intracellular arbuscular mycorrhizae and extracellular ectomycorrhizae. By coupling an isotope enrichment experiment with transcriptomics, I will compare nutrient sharing and gene expression in seedlings inoculated with each type of symbiont. This will reveal potential functional differences between the two types of associations and identify candidate genes involved in the establishment and maintenance of nutritional relationships with different physical intertwinement. Outside of the lab, I enjoy eating exciting foods, traveling, and spending time in nature – especially in or on the water.

icontijerpe@berkeley.edu