We welcome Jia Shihong, who joined the group as a visiting scientist from the Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Shihong will spend his time in the group analysing his data on the roles of biotic and abiotic factors in shaping seedling community dynamics at Changbaishan Mountain in northeastern China.

Val Milici was awarded $4000 towards her research on fungal-plant interactions along a tropical precipitation gradient from the Tinker Field Graduate Research Fund. Congratulations Val!