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Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology
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Cathy Cripps, Associate Professor, PhD from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
Office: 215 Plant BioScience Building
phone: 994-5226
fax: 406-994-7600
Email Dr. Cripps |
Research
Our lab examines basic and applied aspects of higher fungi, particularly in extreme environments such as the alpine life zone and high-elevation smelter-impacted sites. Currently we are focused on a survey of the biodiveristy of alpine fungi in the Rocky Mountains. The arctic-alpine biome covers 10% of the earth’s land, and is considered to be at great risk from global warming and disturbance. This includes all land within the arctic circle, and the true alpine above treeline on high mountain tops. Fungi in this extreme climate must withstand freezing temperatures, high UV light, a short growing season (4-8 weeks), and persistent desiccating winds. Fungi are a crucial ecological link in these inhospitable climes. Plants depend on alpine mycorrhizal root fungi for survival. Saprophytic fungi somehow manage to complete the work of decomposition and recycling of nutrients into the soil despite the extreme conditions. To date we have catalogued over 150 species of alpine agarics, primarily species of Inocybe, Cortinarius, Entoloma, Galerina, Russlula, and Lactarius. In addition, we are examining the mycorrhizal fungi with dwarf Salix and Dryas, and adaptations of alpine fungi with broad-ranging implications for cold-tolerance in plants.
Other research has focused on the ectomycorrhizal fungi in aspen forests. Aspen (Populus tremuloides) has declined by over 50% in the western US in recent years and is of great interest to forest managers. Over 50 species of fungi occur with aspen in the Rocky Mountain region, and many have been found on the Anaconda Superfund site. Our research has shown that many of these mycorrhizal fungi stimulate aspen growth in vitro, however plant response depends on the particular fungal inoculant. Several of these fungi have potential for use in high elevation reclamation.
AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY
As the singular trained mycologist in Montana, my research is on basic and applied aspects of fungi in managed and natural systems, including fungal systematics and identification, MSU president’s list of experts; research includes NSF survey of cold-adapted alpine fungi, specialty mushroom farming in MT, and use of mycorrhizal fungi in reclamation; curator MONT fungal herbarium; teaching PSPP 423 (Introductory Mycology), and Biology 213 (Animal and Plant Form and Function) and have taught PSPP 580 (Advanced Mycology), MRC 480 (Rocky Mountain Mushrooms), PLP 524 (Plant Pathology, Fungal section), and BIOL 101 (Survey of Organisms), graduate and undergraduate advising
EDUCATION
- B.S. School of Natural Resources University of Michigan
- M.S. Biology (Mycology) Virginia Polytechnic Institute (VPI) 1993
- Ph.D. Biology (Mycology) Virginia Polytechnic Institute (VPI) 1995
MEMBERSHIPS IN PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION
- Mycological Society of America
- North American Mycological Society
- International Society of Mycorrhizasists
- Montana Academy of Science
RECENT PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
- Faculty Development Grant MSU (2005-2006) : Instructional Protocols for Safe Molecular Technology
- International Mycological Congress (Oslo), symposium chair (2002)
- Editor/organizer of Book: Diversity, Systematics, and Ecology of Forest Fungi (NYBG Mem.)
- Editing: Can. J. Botany, Mycologia, Sydowia
- Grant Reviews: NSF, USDA/CREES
- PI: Research and Commercialization Grant ($144,000), 2002-2004. (Funded by the Montana Research and Commercialization Board)
- PI: National Science Foundation Grant ($212,000) 1999-2003.
- Fungal Identification for Plant Diagnostic Clinic, researchers, public
- Workshops/lectures for Mycological Societies, ID, MT, CO, WA, ORE,CA, NC, VA, MN
- Faculty Travel Grant for National Science Foundation Workshop on Biotic Surveys program
- Faculty Development Grant, MSU: for fungal section of MONT herbarium
COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIPS
- Biodiversity Committee, Mycological Society of America
- Councilor of Ecology-Pathology, Mycological Society of America
- 5 Graduate student committees, MSU
AWARDS
- Teaching Excellence Award, Montana State Univ, College of Agriculture, PSPP, 2002.
- Martin-Baker Endowment Research Award, Mycological Society of America, 1996
- Graduate Student Teaching Excellence Award, Virginia Polytech (VPI), 1994.
COURSES TAUGHT
- PSPP 423 Introductory Mycology (alternate Fall semesters)
- PSPP 424 Ecology of Fungi (Fall 2005)
- PSPP 580 Advanced Mycology (Spring, as needed)
- BIOL 101 Biology of Organisms, 600 students (Fall, as needed)
- Biology 213 Animal and Plant Form and Function (Plant Half)
- MRC 480 Rocky Mountain Mushrooms (summer)
- PSPP 251 Botany (fungal section, Fall)
CURRENT PROGRAMS
RESEARCH
Alpine Mycota (Agaricales): Rocky Mountain Tundra, USA, National Science Foundation Grant, 1999 to 2003, $212,000, PI (Cripps), coPI (Horak, Geobotanik Institute, Zurich).
Specialty Mushroom Farming in Montana, Research and Commercialization Grant, $144,000,
Mycorrhizae of Whitebark pine: ecological and applied aspects in relation to fire and restoration.
State-wide list of the fleshy fungi of Montana (Rocky Mountain region), for eventual book.
Editor/organizer for Book: Diversity, Systematics, and Ecology of Forest Fungi (NYBG Mem).
Curation of MONT fungal Herbarium, fungal section
OUTREACH
Workshops/lectures for Mushroom Clubs and Mycological Societies, nationwide.
Leader of SW Montana Mycological Society - For more information on our local mushroom club you can call Don Mathre at 994-5157 or email him at: upldm@montana.edu
Fungal Identification for Plant Diagnostic Clinic, researchers, public
TV appearances on MT Ag Live
PUBLICATIONS
Cripps, CL and E Horak 2008. Checklist and Ecology of the Agaricales, Russulales and Boletales in the alpine zone of the Rocky Mountains (Colorado, Montana, Wyoming) at 3000-4000 m a.s.l. Sommerfeltia 31: 101-121.
Mohatt, KR, Cripps, CL, and M Lavin. 2008. Ectomycorrhizal fungi of whitebark pine (a tree in peril) revealed by sporocarps and molecular analysis of mycorrhizae from treeline forests in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Botany 86: 14-25.
Cripps, CL and E Horak 2006. Arrhenia auriscalpium in arctic-alpine habitats: world distribution, ecology, new reports from the southern Rocky Mountains, USA. [Arctic and Alpine Mycology VI, eds D. Boertmann & H. Knudsen] Meddelelser om Grøenland Bioscience 56: 17-24.
Cripps, C. L. 2007. Snowbank fungi of Western North America: cold but not frozen. Botanical Electronic News (BEN) ISSN 1188-603X, No. 377.
Cripps, CL 2006. Orson K Miller, Jr.: Mycologist, Researcher, Teacher and Mentor. Botanical Electronic News, No. 364 July 19 (2006).
Cripps, CL 2006. Western Mycology loses a leader and a friend: In Memoriam Orson K Miller, Jr (1930-2006). Pacific Northwest Fungi 1(10): 1-6.
Osmundson, TW, Cripps, CL, Mueller, GM 2005. Morphological and molecular systematics of Rocky Mountain alpine Laccaria. Mycologia 97: 949-972.
Cripps, CL and K Mohatt 2005. Preliminary results on the Ectomycorrhizal Fungi of Whitebark Pine Forests. Nutcracker Notes 7: 9-11.
C.L. Cripps L.E. Eddington 2005. Distribution of Mycorrhizal Types among Alpine vascular plant families on the Beartooth Plateau, Rocky Mountains, USA, in reference to Large-scale patterns in Artic-alpine habitats. Arctic, Antarctic and Alpine Research 37:177-188.
Cripps, CL 2004. Ectomycorrhizal fungi above and below ground in a small, isolated aspen stand: A simple system reveals fungal fruiting strategies and an edge effect. Pp. 249-265. In: Cripps, CL (editor), Fungi in Forest Ecosystems: systematics, Diversity, and Ecology. New York Botanical Garden Press, NY. Pp. 1-363.
Cripps, CL 2004. Orson K. Miller, Jr.: Mycologist, researcher, teacher, and mentor. Pp. 1-20. In: Cripps, CL (editor), Fungi in Forest Ecosystems: systematics, Diversity, and Ecology. New York Botanical Garden Press, NY. Pp. 1-363.
Cripps, CL and H Miller 2004. Bibliography of Orson K. Miller, Jr. Pp. 25-29. In: Cripps, CL (editor), Fungi in Forest Ecosystems: systematics, Diversity, and Ecology. New York Botanical Garden Press, NY. Pp. 1-363.
Cripps, C. L. (editor) 2004. Fungi in Forest Ecosystems: Systematics, Diversity, and Ecology. Memoirs of the New York Botanical Garden 89:1-363.
NYBG Press.
Cripps, CL 2003. Native mycorrhizal fungi with aspen on smelter-impacted sites in the Northern Rocky Mountains: occurrence and potential use in reclamation. National Billings Reclamation Publication, June 2003, Billings, MT. Published by Amercian Society of Mined Land Reclamation, Lexington, KY. Pgs. 193-208.
Cripps, C. L., and E. Horak, 2002 (in ed). Ecology and world-wide distribution of Arrhenia auriscalpium: a true arctic-alpine fungus. Arctic and Alpine Mycology Vol VI, eds H. Knudsen and T. Borgen, Copenhagen. Groen Bioscience. (8 pp.)
Cripps, C. L. 2002. Mycorrhiza. In: PNW Plant Disease Management Handbook, eds. J. Pscheidt and C. Ocamb, Extention Services of Oregon State University, Washington State University, and the University of Idaho. Pp. 21-23.
Cripps, C. L., 2001. Mycorrhizae of Aspen Forests: ecology and potential application. Sustaining Aspen in Western Landscapes: Proceedings of the Symposium on Western Aspen Forests, Grand Junction, CO, June 2000. pp. 285-298.
Cripps, C. L., 2000. Basidiocarp (pp. 109-111), Basidiomycete (pp.111-115), Basidiospores (115-117), Basidium (118-120), Ectotrophic Mycorrhiza (pp. 392-394), Endotrophic Mycorrhiza (pp. 405-407), Hartig Net (pp. 523-524), Hymenium (pp. 552-554), Hymenomycete (554-555), Mushroom (pp. 655-657), Mycorrhiza (660-666), Vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae (1074-1075). In: The Encyclopedia of Plant Pathology, John Wiley and Sons, Inc, N.Y.
Cripps, C. L., and A. Caesar, 1998. A conidia-forming basidiomycete in the Pterulaceae. Mycotaxon 69:153-158.
Cripps, C. L., 1997. The genus Inocybe in Montana aspen stands. Mycologia 89(4): 670-688.
Cripps, C.L.,1997. Inocybe lacera (Fr.:Fr.) Kumm.& Populus tremuoides M. Descr. Ectomyc. 2: 19-24.
Cripps, C.L.,1997. Tricholoma scalpturatum (Fr.) Quel&P. tremuloides. Descr. Ectomyc. 2: 73-78.
Cripps, C. L., 1996. Ectomycorrhizal communities with aspen on smelter-impacted sites: how ecosystems recover from airborne pollution. Symposium Chair. First International Conference on Mycorrhizae, Aug. 4-9, Univ. of Calif., Berkeley.
Cripps, C.,1995. Mycorrhizal fungi in quaking aspen stands of Montana and Idaho. McIlvanea 12:26-33.
Cripps, C., and Miller, O.K., Jr., 1995. Ectomycorrhizae formed in vitro by quaking aspen: including Inocybe lacera and Amanita pantherina. Mycorrhiza 5:357-370.
Cripps, C. L., and Miller, O.K., Jr., 1994. A new Cortinarius from a mature aspen stand. Mycotaxon, Vol 50:315-321.
Cripps, C. L., and Miller, O.K., Jr, 1993. Ectomycorrhizal fungi associated with aspen on three sites in the north-central Rocky Mountains. Canadian Journal of Botany, 71: 1414-1420.
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