Woodrats Offer a Window for Characterizing Temporal Structure of Truffle Reproduction

Dr. Chris Bivins is a mycologist and ecologist who recently completed his Ph.D. in Quantitative & Systems Biology at UC Merced. His research focuses on fungal ecology in California’s Sierra Nevada foothills, particularly on the interactions among truffle-forming fungi, plants, and mammals. Chris uses field surveys, DNA metabarcoding, and natural history collections to study fungal diversity, dispersal, and community ecology. He has also taught mycology at UC Merced and developed the university’s first course devoted to mushrooms and fungal biology."