Research:

My research interest is the ecology and evolution of symbioses, especially the effects of hybridization on fungal epichloid endophyte interactions with different native temperate grass hosts. Further, I investigate the bacterial and fungal community of Echinacea purpurea.

Recent Publications:

Oberhofer, M. & Leuchtmann, A. (2012) Genetic diversity in epichloid endophytes of Hordelymus europaeus suggests repeated host jumps and interspecific hybridizations. Molecular Ecology, 21, 2713-2726.

Oberhofer, M. & Leuchtmann, A. (2012) Hordelymus europaeus benefits from natural hybrid and non-hybrid endophytes under drought stress. (eds N. Zhibiao & L. Chunjie), pp. 111-113. Proceedings of the 8th International Symposium on Fungal Endophytes of Grasses, Lanzhou, China.

Oberhofer, M. (2012) Significance of hybridization in Epichloë endophytes of Hordelymus europaeus. PhD Thesis, ETH Zurich, Zurich, (published online, http://dx.doi.org/10.3929/ethz-a-007339468).

Leuchtmann A. & Oberhofer M. (2012) The Epichloë endophytes associated with the woodland grass Hordelymus europaeus including four new species (in press, Mycologia).

Oberhofer, M., Güsewell, S. & Leuchtmann, A. (2013) Effects of natural hybrid and non-hybrid Epichloë endophytes on the response of Hordelymus europaeus to drought stress (submitted).

Oberhofer, M. & Leuchtmann, A. Competition between hybrid and non-hybrid Epichloë endophytes in mixed inoculations of Hordelymus europaeus (in preparation).

Oberhofer, M., Soukupová, L., Gryndler, M., Leuchtmann, A. & Jansa, J. Latitudinal shift in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities along a pan-European transect (in preparation).

Contact:

361 Eberhart Building
(336) 334-9783