Maria Lucia Gonzalez Torres

MSc student (since January 2025)

Research

My Master’s research project in the Laforest-Lapointe lab explores the fungal communities living in forest mosses and how they respond to changing environmental conditions. Mosses are a major component of forest ground cover, where they help regulate nutrient cycling, soil biodiversity, and plant establishment. They host diverse microbial communities that influence moss growth and health, yet the fungal portion of the moss microbiome remains poorly characterized.

For this project, moss samples are collected across Quebec forests, from the southern temperate region to the boreal forest. Fungi are characterized both through culture-independent approaches, where DNA is extracted directly from moss tissue, and through the isolation of fungal strains. The multidisciplinary nature of the lab allows me to build skills across several areas, from fieldwork to molecular lab techniques to bioinformatic analysis. Together, these approaches aim to describe which fungi are associated with mosses, how these communities are structured across ecosystems, and how they may shift as environmental conditions change.

About me

Before joining the Laforest-Lapointe lab, I completed a bachelor’s degree (B.Sc.) in Environmental Biology at McGill University, did an internship at the Canadian Museum of Nature, climbed many trees, and mastered driving stick. Outside the lab, I enjoy documenting life in all its forms through photography, learning new languages, and improving my juggling skills.