Cale, Dr. Jonathan
PhD, Forest Pathology and Mycology (State University of New York ESF)
Biography
Dr. Cale is a fungal ecologist and forest pathologist broadly exploring how fungus-tree interactions affect our forests. His research program studies the ecology of antagonistic and mutualistic forest fungi to help address regionally important forest health challenges that threaten the economic, ecological, and cultural value of forests.
Research and Expertise
Dr. Cale merges basic and applied research in an interdisciplinary framework to investigate the roles fungi play in three stages of forest disturbances: development, impact, and recovery. These stages are reflected in the broad questions that drive his research program:
- How do fungi interact with abiotic and biotic factors to initiate or exacerbate the development of forest disturbances?
- How do fungi directly influence tree physiology, health, and survival to act as drivers of forest disturbances?
- How do the ecological functions of fungi support the recovery of forest ecosystems after severe disturbance?
Specific areas of interest include emerging forest diseases, climate change impacts on forest fungi, interactions between fungi and bark beetles, fungal chemical ecology, soil fungal community functions in reforested and regenerating forest stands.
- English