Dr. Michael Remke, assistant professor and chair of the Department of Forestry at New Mexico Highlands University, presented research at the New Phytologist Foundation’s Forest Interactions symposium, held October 13–16, 2026, in Leysin, Switzerland.
The symposium brought together more than 100 forest scientists from around the world to share new work on how trees interact with fungi, microbes and their changing environment.
Remke’s poster, titled “Ectomycorrhizal exploration type, not colonization rate, determines drought resilience and pathogen suppression in nursery-grown ponderosa pine seedlings,” reported results from a greenhouse experiment carried out at NMHU.
The study found that the type of root-associated fungi a seedling partners with matters more than how much of its root system they colonize. Seedlings paired with “long-distance” fungi, which send out long strands that reach far into the soil, held up better under drought. Under drought conditions, seedlings given both soil fungi and fire mosses grew the most.
These results have potential applications for reforestation in New Mexico and across the Southwest. After severe wildfires, many planted seedlings do not survive, and drought is a main reason. Choosing the right fungal partners when growing seedlings in nurseries could improve the success of replanting burned forests.
The work was a team effort that included NMHU students and collaborators Veronica LaRocca, Samantha Martinez, Jeff Propster and Richmond Mbami.
“Sharing work from Highlands on an international stage shows that our students are doing world-class research on problems that matter here at home and help shape the foundational theory of our discipline,” Remke said.
Students interested in forestry programs and research opportunities at New Mexico Highlands University may contact Dr. Michael Remke at mremke@nmhu.edu or visit the Department of Forestry website.