Faculty:

Staff:

Matthew E. Smith

Matt pic

Research Interests and Projects:

My research is focused on the ecology, biodiversity and systematics of fungi. I primarily study fungi that form symbioses with plants and my current research is focused on ectomycorrhizal "truffles" - fungi that produce their fruiting bodies below the ground. However, I am also interested in fungal pathogens of both plants and animals. I seek to understand how diverse communities of fungal symbionts and pathogens are structured and maintained over time and space, and how these fungi affect the fitness and dynamics of other organisms such as plants and soil animals. I am also interested in the importance of convergent evolution within ecologically similar, but phylogenetically divergent, groups of fungi.

NON-PEER REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS

  • Smith ME. 2009. Following the rake of Roland Thaxter - unearthing the hypogeous fungi of South America. Friends of the Farlow Newsletter - Spring 2009. [PDF]

PEER REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS

  • Tedersoo L, May TW, Smith ME. Ectomycorrhizal lifestyle in Fungi: patterns of evolution and distribution. In review.
  • Hynes MM, Smith ME, Bledsoe CS, Zasoski RJ. Hyphal communities with Quercus and Pinus in a California woodland. In review.
  • Smith ME, Pfister DH. 2009. Tuberculate ectomycorrhizae of angiosperms: the interaction between Boletus rubropunctus and Quercus species in the USA and Mexico. In press, American Journal of Botany.
  • Morris MH, Perez-Perez MA, Smith ME, Bledsoe CS. 2009. Influence of host species on ectomycorrhizal communities associated with two co-occurring Quercus species in a tropical cloud forest. FEMS Microbiology Ecology DOI:10.1111/j.1574-6941.2009.00704.x [abstract]
  • Smith ME, Healy RH. 2009. Otidea subterranea sp. nov.: Otidea goes belowground. Mycological Research. doi:10.1016/j.mycres.2009.04.006 [PDF]
  • Smith ME, Douhan GW, Fremier AK, Rizzo DM. 2009. Are true multihost fungi the exception or the rule? Dominant ectomycorrhizal fungi on Pinus sabiniana differ from those on co-occurring Quercus species. New Phytologist. 182: 295-299. [PDF] (The definitive version is available at New Phytologist.)
  • Smith ME, Jaffee BJ. 2009. PCR primers with enhanced specificity for nematode-trapping fungi (Orbiliales). Microbial Ecology. DOI: 10.1007/s00248-008-9453-0 [abstract]
  • Morris MH, Smith ME, Perez-Perez MA, Bledsoe CS. 2008. Multiple species of ectomycorrhizal fungi are frequently detected on individual oak root tips in a tropical cloud forest. Mycorrhiza. 18: 375-383. [abstract]
  • Douhan GW, Smith ME, Huryn K, Westbrook A, Beerli P, Fisher A. 2008. Multigene analysis suggests ecological speciation in the fungal pathogen Claviceps purpurea. Molecular Ecology. 17: 2276-2286. [abstract]
  • Morris MH, Smith ME, Rizzo DM, Rejmanek M, Caroline S. Bledsoe. 2008. Contrasting ectomycorrhizal fungal communities on the roots of co-occurring oaks (Quercus spp.) in a California woodland. New Phytologist. 178:167-176. [PDF] (The definitive version is available at New Phytologist.)
  • Smith ME, Douhan GW, Rizzo DM. 2007. Intraspecific and intrasporocarp ITS diversity of ectomycorrhizal fungi as assessed by ITS sequencing of bulked roots and sporocarps from a Quercus woodland. Mycorrhiza. 18: 15-22. [abstract]
  • Smith ME, Douhan GW, Rizzo DM. 2007. Ectomycorrhizal community structure in a xeric Quercus woodland as inferred from rDNA sequence analysis of bulked ectomycorrhizal roots and sporocarps. New Phytologist. 174: 847-863. [PDF] (The definitive version is available at New Phytologist.
  • Smith ME. 2007. NATS truffle and truffle-like fungi 15: Genea balsleyi sp. nov., a new hypogeous ascomycete from New Jersey. Mycotaxon. 99: 239-244. [PDF]
  • Smith ME. 2006. Diversity, systematics, and spatiotemporal dynamics of ectomycorrhizal fungi associated with Quercus douglasii in xeric California woodlands. Ph.D. Thesis, University of California at Davis
  • Smith ME, Trappe JM, Rizzo DM. 2006. Genea, Genabea and Gilkeya gen. nov.: ascomata and ectomycorrhiza formation in a Quercus woodland. Mycologia. 98: 699-716. [PDF]
  • Smith ME, Rizzo DM, Trappe JM, Miller SM. 2006. Gymnomyces xerophilus sp. nov. (sequestrate Russulaceae), an ectomycorrhizal associate of Quercus in California. Mycological Research. 110: 575-582. [PDF]
  • Smith ME, Rizzo DM, Trappe JM. 2005. NATS truffle and truffle-like fungi 11. Hymenogaster raphanodorus sp. nov. (Cortinariaceae). Mycotaxon. 93: 241-246. [PDF]