Student focuses research on fungi and trees at ancient nature reserve

Posted 16 February 2021

Rebekah Pipes

The symbiotic relationship between woodland and fungi at an ancient nature reserve in Staffordshire is the focus of a Harper Adams University student’s research.

The research is being carried out by Rebekah Pipes who is currently studying a BSc (Hons) Countryside and Environmental Management degree at Harper Adams University.

As part of her final year of study, the 22-year-old is undertaking a research project entitled ‘How woodland structure effects fungi ecology at Loynton Moss Nature Reserve’.

The dissertation will investigate the relationship between trees and fungi and how the species interact with one another through symbiosis.

Rebekah, from Burton-on-Trent in Staffordshire, spent her placement year with Staffordshire Wildlife Trust which gave her permission to use the reserve for her research.

She said: “I used transect surveying to collect my data and am going to use a Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) to test the relationships between my data.

“I have always had an affinity for wildlife and nature and decided to choose Countryside and Environmental Management purely because I wanted a career that would make a difference and help even in a small way to protect or conserve nature.”