STUDENT POSTER COMPETITION
Please send us your poster related to forestry, ecology, pathogens, or similar topics, published between May 2024 and May 2025, by June 15, 2025. A group of experts and scientists from the EXCELLENTIA project will evaluate the posters, and the participant with the highest rating will receive admission to the EXCELLENTIA summer school, scheduled to take place in September 2025 at the Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, MENDELU.
Upload your poster to the MS Teams files under your name. https://1url.cz/W1uw9 Results will be announced on June 30, 2025.
SUMMER SCHOOL: THE HIDDEN HALF OF ECOSYSTEMS (22 - 26 SEPTEMBER 2025)
This course will enable students to understand the function of root systems and their mycorrhizal symbionts and identify the anatomical, morphological, and physiological parameters of roots and their distribution in space and time that underlie resource uptake. Students will learn about root and mycorrhizal classification (both morphotypes and DNA), morphological analysis, and their functional biodiversity. Practical sessions will include sampling and identifying mycorrhizal morphotypes, studying interactions of mycorrhizal fungi with roots, and exploring the effects of ontogeny, competitors etc. on root system plasticity and mycorrhiza diversity/identity.
Venue: Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno and University Forest Enteprise Masaryk Forest in Křtiny (CZ)
WHICH TREE SPECIES FIX THE MOST CARBON?
To answer this important question, an international consortium of scientists coordinated by INRAE and Bordeaux Sciences Agro studied the growth of 223 tree species planted in 160 experimental forests in different parts of the world. They found that conservative species, which are the most efficient at conserving their resources (nutrients, water, energy), generally grow faster in forests.
We are happy that Era-Chair Douglas Godbold is a member of this international consortium and a co-author of the paper published in Nature, which provides valuable insights for forest managers.
WRIGHT, I. J. et al. (2004): The world-wide leaf economics spectrum. Nature, 428, s. 821–827, doi: 10.1038/nature02403
Congratulations to all the authors!
NAGOYA PROTOCOL on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the Convetioon on Biological Diversity (4 February 2025)
An online seminar delivered by: Eliška Rolfová, Ministry of Environment of the Czech Republic
Time and venue: 09:30 AM, Webex application
Please register to the e-mail: alena.samonilova@mendelu.cz
CAN VIRUSES HELP US O CURE FOREST DISEASES (17 December 2024)
A public lecture delivered by: Associate Professor Leticia Botella Sánchez, member of the Forest Ecosystem Research Group
Time and venue: 1:00 PM, room B106
You can also join the lecture online via Microsoft Teams
Professor Danuše Nerudová – The role of the European Parliament in Shaping EU policies, 30 October 2024, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM, room B106
The European Parliament is essential in shaping EU policies, representing citizens‘ interests and collaborating with other EU institutions to draft, amend, and approve legislation.
Professor Danuše Nerudová, Member of the European Parliament, examines how the Parliament impacts areas such as economic policy and environmental standards through its legislative, oversight, and budgetary roles.
SUMMER SCHOOL: THE HIDDEN HALF OF ECOSYSTEMS (7. - 11. OCTOBER 2024)
This course will enable students to understand the function of root systems and their mycorrhizal symbionts and identify the anatomical, morphological, and physiological parameters of roots and their distribution in space and time that underlie resource uptake. Students will learn about root and mycorrhizal classification (both morphotypes and DNA), morphological analysis, and their functional biodiversity. Practical sessions will include sampling and identifying mycorrhizal morphotypes, studying interactions of mycorrhizal fungi with roots, and exploring the effects of ontogeny, competitors etc. on root system plasticity and mycorrhiza diversity/identity.
Venue: Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno and University Forest Enteprise Masaryk Forest in Křtiny (CZ)
RESEARCHERS´ NIGHT (27 SEPTEMBER 2024)
Researchers’ Night, an event that, for one evening, brings life to hundreds of science buildings that no ordinary mortal can enter.
EXCELLENTIA participated with the programme: Transformation in forests
Forests are always moving, you just cannot see it. The tree species in a forest change over time, and with them their fungal partners. Sometime foresters change trees in forests very fast, this is called transformation. What happens to those poor fungi!
Come and take a look, see what happens to our friends the fungus if the trees change.
STUDENT POSTER COMPETITION (DEADLINE 14 JUNE 2024)
The EXCELLENTIA project is announcing a STUDENT POSTER COMPETITION.
Send us your poster published from May 2023 to May 2024 at any conference (foreign, domestic, faculty, including SilvaNet, etc.) on forestry-related topics by 14 June 2024.
The leading scientists from the EXCELLENTIA project will evaluate the posters and announce the results on 28 June 2024.
The three best posters will be awarded with scholarships: 1000, 2000 and 3000 CZK.
Upload the posters to the MS Teams group using a folder with your name and email.
The MS group will be checked regularly, and the poster´s acceptance into the competition will be confirmed by e-mail.
SCIENCE CAFÉ WITH BORIS REWALD (14.05.2024 at 19:00)
The first EXCELLENTIA SCIENCE CAFÉ was held on 14 May 2024 at 7 pm at the Green Club in Brno.
The topic "Nature-based solutions: Air pollution mitigation and thermal comfort provided by (urban) tree and forests" was presented and discussed by Boris Rewald.
For details of the topic watch the video and invitation below.
TOP 10 PAPERS ON MYCORRHIZAL RESEARCH 2023
International Mycorrhiza Society @mycorrhiza_ims selected the Top 10 papers on mycorrhizal research 2023. @Excellentia_HE is represented by @Douglas Godbold @Boris Rewald as senior authors of Mayer et al., New Phytologist https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.18930 on the effects of #ectomycorrhizal #fungi on forest soil decomposition processes as modulated by fertility. Congratulations to all authors!
PUBLIC LECTURE (11.10. 2023)
The lecture was held in the meeting room of the FFWT Dean's Office with the participation of academic staff, researchers and students of the FFWT.
Douglas Godbold and Boris Rewald presented the EXCELLENTIA project and their current research activities and results, which will be further developed by the project's research programme. - see the presentation and recording. The discussion with participants followed.
RESEARCHERS´ NIGHT (06.10. 2023)
Researchers’ Night, an event that, for one evening, brings life to hundreds of science buildings that no ordinary mortal can enter.
EXCELLENTIA participated with the programme: Mysteries of the underground
Ever thought about what plant roots look like? Most plants have roots combined with a fungal partner, a mycorrhiza. You know mycorrhizas, you have probably eaten them! They come in different colours and shapes, but are very small, you need a microscope. Come along and take a look at one of the great mysteries of the underground.
Visitors, across all generations, were introduced to the amazing world of mycorrhizal fungi entertainingly.
Picture: Fine art of the youngest visitors
The winning project logo design has been selected!
The winning logo is designed by Eva Vlasova, a student in the Bachelor's degree programme in Furniture Design and Production.
Our sincere congratulations to the winner!
Details on Call to create a project logo you can find HERE.
KICK-OFF MEETING (02.05. 2023)
The kick-off meeting, which took place online in Teams, was opened by Libor Jankovský, Dean of the Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology and project coordinator. EXCELLENTIA's missions were further presented by Pavlína Pancová Šimková, Vice-Dean for Integration into ERA. This was followed by a presentation on EU project management delivered by Lia Keune (REA). Douglas Godbold, ERA Chair, introduced a role of ERA Chair and EXCELLENTIA scientific objectives. Finally, the individual WPs were presented. See the video
