Professor Katie J Field
School of Biosciences
Professor of Plant-Soil Processes
Full contact details
School of Biosciences
A01 Lab A10
Arthur Willis Environment Centre
Maxfield Avenue
Sheffield
S10 1AE
- Profile
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- June 2020 - present: Professor of Plant-Soil Processes, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield
- July 2019 – May 2020: Professor of Plant-Soil Interactions, School of Biology, University of Leeds
- Oct. 2017 – June 2019: Associate Professor in Plant-Soil Processes, School of Biology, University of Leeds
- Jan. 2016 – 2021: BBSRC Translational Fellow, School of Biology, University of Leeds
- Aug. 2015 – 2017: University Academic Fellow in Plant-Soil Processes, School of Biology, University of Leeds
- Jan. – Jun. 2015: Patrick and Irwin-Packington Fellow, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield
- 2012 – 2014: Postdoctoral Research Associate (NERC), Researcher/Co-I. Dept. Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield. Collaboration with: NHM London, RGB Kew and Imperial College, London.
- 2009 – 2012: Postdoctoral Research Associate (NERC), Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield
- 2005 – 2008: PhD, University of Sheffield
- 2002 - 2005: BSc, Plant Sciences, University of Durham
- Research interests
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Plant-fungal symbioses and their applications in sustainable agriculture
Today, it is estimated that more than 80% of land plants, representing over 90% of plant families, form nutritional symbioses with soil-dwelling fungi. These associations are known as ‘mycorrhiza’, or ‘mycorrhiza-like’ in plants without roots. Through these associations, plants assimilate fungal-acquired mineral nutrients from beyond root depletion zones. In return, plants supply their fungal partners with carbohydrates fixed from atmospheric carbon dioxide through photosynthesis.
Many key crop species have been shown to be able to form mutualistic symbioses with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. This is leading to the development of novel approaches in crop breeding and agricultural practices, encouraging the formation of mycorrhizal associations and utilisation of previously plant-inaccessible soil phosphorus pools. Research has shown that the efficiency by which plant-fixed carbon is exchanged for fungal-acquired nutrients is affected by environmental perturbation, such as CO2 concentration. By using combined ecophysiology, metabolomics and isotope tracer techniques, our research aims to expand our understanding of crop-mycorrhiza-environment interactions.
Evolution, diversity and ecology of plant-fungal symbioses
Plant-fungal symbioses date back to when plants first colonized Earth’s landmasses more than 475 million years ago.
Fossil and molecular evidence suggest that the earliest plants to emerge onto the land were likely similar to modern-day liverworts. As such, these tiny plants provide an excellent opportunity for us to understand how mycorrhiza-like associations in the earliest plants may have facilitated plant domination of the terrestrial biosphere.
Recent findings suggest the earliest plants may not have associated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi of the Glomeromycota as has always been assumed, instead Mucoromycotina may well have been key players in plant terrestrialization. Our latest research has shown that Mucoromycotina Fine Root Endophytes are widespread throughout nearly all modern land plants and may play a different role to other mycorrhizas in plant nutrition.
We are only just starting to understand the true diversity, structure and physiological function of the relationships between plants and their symbiotic fungi. Our research aims to shed new light on the role diverse fungal symbionts may have played in the development and maintenance of Earth’s global ecosystems in the past, present and future.
Current research
- MYCOREV - A Mycorrhizal Revolution: the role of diverse symbiotic fungi in modern terrestrial ecosystems. ERC Consolidator Grant, (2020-2025)
- Friend or foe; who wins in the competition for plant resources? Leverhulme Trust (2020-2023)
- How did the evolution of plants, microbial symbionts and terrestrial nutrient cycles change Earth’s long-term climate?, NERC (2019-2022)
- LOCKED UP: The role of biotic and abiotic interactions in the stabilisation and persistence of soil organic carbon, NERC (2019-2022)
- Philip Leverhulme Prize in Biological Sciences 2017, Leverhulme Trust (2018-2021)
- AFRICAP – Agricutural and Food-system Resilience: Increasing Capacity and Advising, GCRF (2017-2021)
- Interactions between crops, arbuscular mycorrhizas and CO2, BBSRC (2016-2021)
- Publications
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Show: Featured publications All publications
Featured publications
Journal articles
- Phenology and function in lycopod–Mucoromycotina symbiosis. New Phytologist. View this article in WRRO
- Aphid herbivory drives asymmetry in carbon for nutrient exchange between plants and an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus. Current Biology, 30(10), 1801-1808.e5. View this article in WRRO
- Carbon for nutrient exchange between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and wheat varies according to cultivar and changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration. Global Change Biology, 26(3), 1725-1738. View this article in WRRO
- A commercial arbuscular mycorrhizal inoculum increases root colonisation across wheat cultivars but does not increase assimilation of mycorrhiza-acquired nutrients. Plants, People, Planet. View this article in WRRO
- Mucoromycotina fine root endophyte fungi form nutritional mutualisms with vascular plants. Plant Physiology, 181(2), 565-577. View this article in WRRO
- Functional complementarity of ancient plant‐fungal mutualisms: contrasting nitrogen, phosphorus and carbon exchanges between Mucoromycotina and Glomeromycotina fungal symbionts of liverworts. New Phytologist. View this article in WRRO
- Unity in diversity: structural and functional insights into the ancient partnerships between plants and fungi. New Phytologist, 220(4), 996-1011. View this article in WRRO
- A mycorrhizal revolution. Current Opinion in Plant Biology, 44, 1-6. View this article in WRRO
- Nutrient acquisition by symbiotic fungi governs Palaeozoic climate transition. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 373(1739). View this article in WRRO
All publications
Journal articles
- The functionality of arbuscular mycorrhizal networks across
scales of experimental complexity and ecological relevance. Functional Ecology.
- Functional Ecology is moving to open access. Functional Ecology, 38(7), 1462-1463.
- Geographic range of plants drives long-term climate change. Nature Communications.
- Fungal symbiont diversity drives growth of Holcus lanatusdepending on soil nutrient availability. Functional Ecology.
- Can mycorrhizal fungi fix farming? Benefits and limitations of applying them to agroecosystems. The Biochemist, 45(3), 2-7.
- Mycorrhizal mycelium as a global carbon pool. Current Biology(33), 560-573.
- Sequence of introduction determines the success of contrasting root symbionts and their host. Applied Soil Ecology, 182, 104733-104733.
- Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal‐induced tolerance is determined by fungal identity and pathogen density. Plants, People, Planet.
- Climate windows of opportunity for plant expansion during the Phanerozoic. Nature Communications, 13(1).
- Impacts of aphid herbivory on mycorrhizal growth responses across three cultivars of wheat. Plants, People, Planet.
- Altered properties and structures of root exudate polysaccharides in a root hairless mutant of barley. Plant Physiology.
- The potential role of Mucoromycotina 'fine root endophytes' in plant nitrogen nutrition.. Physiologia Plantarum.
- Variation in mycorrhizal growth response among a spring wheat mapping population shows potential to breed for symbiotic benefit. Food and Energy Security.
- Disruption of carbon for nutrient exchange between potato and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi enhanced cyst nematode fitness and host pest tolerance.. New Phytol.
- Critical research challenges facing Mucoromycotina ‘fine root endophytes’. New Phytologist. View this article in WRRO
- Mycorrhizal mediation of sustainable development goals. Plants, People, Planet, 3(5), 430-432. View this article in WRRO
- The emerging threat of human‐use antifungals in sustainable and circular agriculture schemes. Plants, People, Planet.
- Advances in understanding of mycorrhizal-like associations in bryophytes. Bryophyte Diversity and Evolution, 43(1), 284-306.
- Carbon for nutrient exchange between Lycopodiella inundata and Mucoromycotina fine root endophytes is unresponsive to high atmospheric CO2.. Mycorrhiza. View this article in WRRO
- The influence of competing root symbionts on below‐ground plant resource allocation. Ecology and Evolution, 11(7), 2997-3003.
- Cultivar‐dependent increases in mycorrhizal nutrient acquisition by barley in response to elevated CO2. Plants, People, Planet. View this article in WRRO
- Phenology and function in lycopod–Mucoromycotina symbiosis. New Phytologist. View this article in WRRO
- Cereal root exudates contain highly structurally complex polysaccharides with soil‐binding properties. The Plant Journal. View this article in WRRO
- Aphid herbivory drives asymmetry in carbon for nutrient exchange between plants and an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus. Current Biology, 30(10), 1801-1808.e5. View this article in WRRO
- The distribution and evolution of fungal symbioses in ancient lineages of land plants. Mycorrhiza, 30(1), 23-49. View this article in WRRO
- Carbon for nutrient exchange between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and wheat varies according to cultivar and changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration. Global Change Biology, 26(3), 1725-1738. View this article in WRRO
- Mycorrhizas for a changing world: Sustainability, conservation,
and society. Plants, People, Planet, 2(2), 98-103. View this article in WRRO
- A commercial arbuscular mycorrhizal inoculum increases root colonisation across wheat cultivars but does not increase assimilation of mycorrhiza-acquired nutrients. Plants, People, Planet. View this article in WRRO
- Evolution and networks in ancient and widespread symbioses between Mucoromycotina and liverworts. Mycorrhiza, 29(6), 551-565. View this article in WRRO
- One thousand plant transcriptomes and the phylogenomics of green plants. Nature, 574, 679-685. View this article in WRRO
- Mucoromycotina fine root endophyte fungi form nutritional mutualisms with vascular plants. Plant Physiology, 181(2), 565-577. View this article in WRRO
- Functional complementarity of ancient plant‐fungal mutualisms: contrasting nitrogen, phosphorus and carbon exchanges between Mucoromycotina and Glomeromycotina fungal symbionts of liverworts. New Phytologist. View this article in WRRO
- Unity in diversity: structural and functional insights into the ancient partnerships between plants and fungi. New Phytologist, 220(4), 996-1011. View this article in WRRO
- Ancient plants with ancient fungi: liverworts associate with early-diverging arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 285(1888). View this article in WRRO
- A mycorrhizal revolution. Current Opinion in Plant Biology, 44, 1-6. View this article in WRRO
- A quantitative method for the high throughput screening for the soil adhesion properties of plant and microbial polysaccharides and exudates. Plant and Soil, 428(1-2), 57-65. View this article in WRRO
- From rhizoids to roots? Experimental evidence of mutualism between liverworts and ascomycete fungi. Annals of Botany, 121(2), 221-227. View this article in WRRO
- Nutrient acquisition by symbiotic fungi governs Palaeozoic climate transition. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 373(1739). View this article in WRRO
- Xyloglucan is released by plants and promotes soil particle aggregation. New Phytologist, 217(3), 1128-1136. View this article in WRRO
- A plant-feeding nematode indirectly increases the fitness of an aphid. Frontiers in Plant Science, 8. View this article in WRRO
- Are mycorrhizal fungi our sustainable saviours? Considerations for achieving food security. Journal of Ecology, 105(4), 921-929. View this article in WRRO
- Pteridophyte fungal associations : current knowledge and future perspectives. Journal of Systematics and Evolution, 54(6), 666-678. View this article in WRRO
- Katie J. Field.. New Phytologist, 212(4), 836-837. View this article in WRRO
- Functional analysis of liverworts in dual symbiosis with Glomeromycota and Mucoromycotina fungi under a simulated Palaeozoic CO2 decline. The ISME Journal, 10(6), 1514-1526. View this article in WRRO
- Stomatal density and aperture in non-vascular land plants are non-responsive to above-ambient atmospheric CO2concentrations. Annals of Botany, 115(6), 915-922. View this article in WRRO
- From mycoheterotrophy to mutualism: mycorrhizal specificity and functioning in Ophioglossum vulgatumsporophytes. New Phytologist, 205(4), 1492-1502. View this article in WRRO
- Symbiotic options for the conquest of land. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 30(8), 477-486.
- First evidence of mutualism between ancient plant lineages (Haplomitriopsida liverworts) and Mucoromycotina fungi and its response to simulated Palaeozoic changes in atmospheric CO2. New Phytologist, 205(2), 743-756. View this article in WRRO
- Best of both worlds: Simultaneous high-light and shade-tolerance adaptations within individual leaves of the living stone Lithops aucampiae. PLoS ONE. View this article in WRRO
- Metabolomics in plant environmental physiology. Journal of Experimental Botany.
- Contrasting arbuscular mycorrhizal responses of vascular and non-vascular plants to a simulated Palaeozoic CO₂ decline.. Nat Commun, 3, 835.
- Metabolomic and physiological responses reveal multi-phasic acclimation of Arabidopsis thaliana to chronic UV radiation.. Plant Cell Environ, 32(10), 1377-1389.
- The nucleotidase/phosphatase SAL1 is a negative regulator of drought tolerance in Arabidopsis. Plant Journal, 58(2), 299-317.
- Impact of zinc on arbuscular mycorrhizal-mediated nutrient acquisition in urban horticulture. iScience.
- Innovation in plant and soil sciences to tackle critical global challenges. Plants People Planet.
- Mucoromycotina ‘fine root endophytes’: a new molecular model for plant–fungal mutualisms?. Trends in Plant Science.
- Herbivore-driven disruption of arbuscular mycorrhizal carbon-for-nutrient exchange is ameliorated by neighboring plants. Current Biology.
- Direct nitrogen, phosphorus and carbon exchanges between Mucoromycotina ‘fine root endophyte’ fungi and a flowering plant in novel monoxenic cultures. New Phytologist.
- Integrated ‘Omics’, Targeted Metabolite and Single-cell Analyses of Arctic Snow Algae Functionality and Adaptability. Frontiers in Microbiology, 6. View this article in WRRO
Chapters
- The use of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to improve root function and nutrient-use efficiency, Understanding and improving crop root function (pp. 493-530). Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing
- Magnitude, Dynamics, and Control of the Carbon Flow to Mycorrhizas, Mycorrhizal Mediation of Soil (pp. 375-393). Elsevier
- Magnitude, Dynamics, and Control of the Carbon Flow to Mycorrhizas, Mycorrhizal Mediation of Soil: Fertility, Structure, and Carbon Storage (pp. 375-393).
- Reappraising the origin of mycorrhizas, Molecular Mycorrhizal Symbiosis (pp. 21-32). John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Conference proceedings papers
- A simplified global vegetation model for deep time.. Goldschmidt2021 abstracts, 4 July 2021 - 9 July 2021.
- Does genetic diversity in plants matter? An environmental metabolomic approach. COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY A-MOLECULAR & INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY, Vol. 150(3) (pp S190-S190)
- Does genetic diversity in plants matter? An environmental metabolomic approach. COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY A-MOLECULAR & INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY, Vol. 150(3) (pp S197-S198)
- Molecular Evidence of Mucoromycotina “Fine Root Endophyte” Fungi in Agricultural Crops. The 1st International Electronic Conference on Plant Science
Preprints
- Preferential assimilation, metabolism, and transfer of organic nitrogen to host plants by Mucoromycotina ‘fine root endophytes’, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
- Climate windows of opportunity for plant expansion during the Phanerozoic, Research Square Platform LLC. View this article in WRRO
- A soil-binding polysaccharide complex released from root hairs functions in rhizosheath formation, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
- Carbon for nutrient exchange between the lycophyte, Lycopodiella inundata and Mucoromycotina ‘fine root endophytes’ is unresponsive to high atmospheric CO2 concentration, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
- Phenology and function in lycopod-Mucoromycotina symbiosis, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
- Mucoromycotina fine root endophyte fungi form nutritional mutualisms with vascular plants, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
- Phenology and function in lycopod–Mucoromycotina symbiosis. New Phytologist. View this article in WRRO