My research projects are on soil microbial ecology and microbial physiology in boreal coniferous forest ecosystems. I am especially interested in the physiological interactions between plants, microorganisms and soil;  microbial biogeography and functional diversity of microbial communities; quantification of microbial and soil pools of carbon and nitrogen, and estimates of turnover rate of carbon and nitrogen cycle processes. In my research I combine soil microbiology and molecular (culture-independent) analyses of microbial communities with use of stable isotopes as tracer (Stable Isotope Probing) or for natural abundance studies. I am affiliate professor at Oregon State University, and collaborate with colleagues in US, Spain, Germany, and UK. I am referee for several international scientific journals e.g., Environmental Microbiology, New Phytologist, Oecologia, Plant and Soil, Ecosystems, Soil Science Society of America Journal, and Tree Physiology. I am Subject Editor at Soil Biology and Biochemistry. In 2006, I was awarded the Gunnar Torstenssons Award by the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry. My scientific papers have been cited more than 2000 times.

Click Read More for Contact Information 

Access to recent publications via PubMed

Are ectomycorrhizal fungi alleviating or aggravating nitrogen limitation of tree growth in boreal forests?

Post-doc
Christian Klatt
 
Postgraduate Students
Róbert Blaško
Martin Rappe George               

Education
2004 PhD exam in Biology. Dept. of Forest Mycology and Pathology, SLU, Uppsala
1986 BSc in Microbiology, Cell and Molecular Biology, Umeå University

Current position
Researcher

Professional Experience
2009 Associate professorship, SLU Umeå, Dept. of Forest Ecology and Management
2006 Assistant Professor, SLU Umeå, Dept. of Forest Ecology
2005 Affiliate Assistant Professor, Dept. of Crop and Soil Science, OSU, USA
2004 Post-doc, Dept. of Crop and Soil Science, OSU, USA

Other Professional Experience
Editorial Board Soil Biology & Biochemistry, Subject Editor

Peer reviewed articles in journals

Keel, S.G.,Campbell, C.D., Högberg, M.N., Richter, A., Wild, B., Zhou, X., Hurry, V., Linder, S., Näsholm, T., Högberg, T. (2012) Allocation of carbon to fine root compounds and their residence times in a boreal forest depend on root size class and season. First On-line New Phytologist

Thornton, B., Zhang, Z., Mayes, R.W., Högberg, M.N., Midwood, A. 2011. Can gas chromatography combustion isotope ratio massspectrometry be used to quantify organic compound abundance? Rapid Communication in Mass Spectrometry. 25:2433–2438

Högberg, P., Johannisson, C., Yarwood, S., Callesen, I., Näsholm, T., Myrold, D.D., Högberg, M.N. (2011). Recovery of ectomycorrhiza after 'nitrogen saturation' of a conifer forest. New Phytologist 189:515-525 

Högberg, M.N., Briones, J.I., Keel, S.G., Metcalfe, D.B., Campbell, C., Midwood, A.J., Thornton, B., Hurry, V., Linder, S., Näsholm, T., Högberg, P.(2010) Quantification of effects of season and nitrogen supply on tree belowground carbon transfer to ectomycorrhizal fungi and other soil organisms in a boreal pine forest. New Phytologist 187:485-493

Yarwood, S.A., Myrold, D.D., Högberg, M.N. (2009) Termination of belowground C allocation by trees alters soil fungal and bacterial communities in a boreal forest. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 70:151-162

Näsholm, T., Högberg, M.N., Högberg, P., Nordin, A.  (2009) Carbon isotopes as proof for plant uptake of organic nitrogen: Relevance of inorganic carbon uptake: Reply to Rasmussen and Kuzyakov. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 41, pp.1588-1589 

Högberg, P., Högberg, MN., Göttlicher, SG., Betson, NR., Campbell, C., Schindlbacher, A., Hurry, V., Lundmark, T., Linder, S., Näsholm, T. (2008) High-resolution tracing of photosynthate carbon from the canopy to the forest soil microorganisms. New Phytologist 177, pp. 220-228

Göttlicher, S.G., Taylor, A.F.S., Grip, H., Betson, N.R., Valinger, E., Högberg, M.N., Högberg, P.(2008). The lateral spread of tree root systems in boreal forests: Estimates based on ¹⁵N uptake and distribution of sporocarps of ectomycorrhizal fungi  Forest Ecology and Management, 255 (1), pp. 75-81.

Högberg, M.N., Chen, Yu., Högberg, P.(2007). Gross nitrogen mineralisation and fungi-to-bacteria ratios are negatively correlated in boreal forests. Biology and Fertility of Soils, 44 (2), pp. 363-366.

Giesler, R., Högberg, M.N., Strobel, B.W., Richter, A., Nordgren, A., Högberg, P. (2007). Production of dissolved organic carbon and low-molecular weight organic acids in soil solution driven by recent tree photosynthate. Biogeochemistry, 84 (1), pp. 1-12.

Högberg, M.N., Högberg, P., Myrold, D.D. (2007) Is microbial community composition in boreal forest soils determined by pH, C-to-N ratio, the trees, or all three? Oecologia, 150 (4), pp. 590-601.

Högberg, M.N. (2006). Discrepancies between ergosterol and the phospholipid fatty acid 18:2ω6,9 as biomarkers for fungi in boreal forest soils. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 38 (12), pp. 3431-3435.

Högberg, M.N., Myrold, D.D., Giesler, R., Högberg, P. (2006). Contrasting patterns of soil N-cycling in model ecosystems of Fennoscandian boreal forests. Oecologia, 147 (1), pp. 96-107.

Högberg, P., Nordgren, A., Högberg, M.N., Ottosson-Löfvenius, M., Bhupinderpal-Singh, Olsson, P., Linder, S. (2005)
Fractional contributions by autotrophic and heterotrophic respiration to soil-surface CO₂ efflux in Boreal forests. SEB experimental biology series, pp. 251-267.

Högberg, M.N., Bååth, E., Nordgren, A., Arnebrant, K., Högberg, P. (2003). Contrasting effects of nitrogen availability on plant carbon supply to mycorrhizal fungi and saprotrophs - A hypothesis based on field observations in boreal forest.New Phytologist, 160 (1), pp. 225-238.

Persson, J., Högberg, P., Ekblad, A., Högberg, M.N., Nordgren, A., Näsholm, T. (2003). Nitrogen acquisition from inorganic and organic sources by boreal forest plants in the field. Oecologia, 137 (2), pp. 252-257.

Taylor, A.F.S., Fransson, P.M., Högberg, P., Högberg, M.N., Plamboeck, A.H. (2003). Species level patterns in ¹³C and ¹⁵N abundance of ectomycorrhizal and saprotrophic fungal sporocarps. New Phytologist, 159 (3), pp. 757-774.

Bhupinderpal-Singh, Nordgren, A., Löfvenius, M.O., Högberg, M.N., Mellander, P.-E., Högberg, P. (2003). Tree root and soil heterotrophic respiration as revealed by girdling of boreal Scots pine forest: Extending observations beyond the first year Plant, Cell and Environment, 26 (8), pp. 1287-1296.

Högberg, M.N., Högberg, P. (2002). Extramatrical ectomycorrhizal mycelium contributes one-third of microbial biomass and produces, together with associated roots, half the dissolved organic carbon in a forest soil. New Phytologist, 154 (3), pp. 791-795.

Högberg, P., Nordgren, A., Buchmann, N., Taylor, A.F.S., Ekblad, A., Högberg, M.N., Nyberg, G., Read, D.J. (2001). Large-scale forest girdling shows that current photosynthesis drives soil respiration. Nature, 411 (6839), pp. 789-792.

Högberg, P., Högberg, M.N., Quist, M.E., Ekblad, A., Näsholm, T. (1999). Nitrogen isotope fractionation during nitrogen uptake by ectomycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal Pinus sylvestris. New Phytologist, 142 (3), pp. 569-576.

Giesler, R., Högberg, M., Högberg, P. (1998). Soil chemistry and plants in Fennoscandian boreal forest as exemplified by a local gradient. Ecology, 79 (1), pp. 119-137.

Näsholm, T., Ekblad, A., Nordin, A., Giesler, R., Högberg, M., Högberg, P. (1998). Boreal forest plants take up organic nitrogen 
Nature, 392 (6679), pp. 914-917.

Taylor, A.F.S., Högbom, L., Högberg, M., Lyon, A.J.E., Näsholm, T., Högberg, P. (1997). Natural 15N abundance in fruit bodies of ectomycorrhizal fungi from boreal forests. New Phytologist, 136 (4), pp. 713-720.

Högberg, P., Högbom, L., Schinkel, H., Högberg, M., Johannisson, C., Wallmark, H.(1996).¹⁵N abundance of surface soils, roots and mycorrhizas in profiles of European forest soils. Oecologia, 108 (2), pp. 207-214.

Högberg, P., Johnnisson, C., Högberg, M., Högbom, L., Näsholm, T., Hällgren, J.-E. (1995) Measurements of abundances of ¹⁵N and ¹³C as tools in retrospective studies of N balances and water stress in forests: A discussion of preliminary results Plant and Soil, 168-169 (1), pp. 125-133.

Högberg P., Tamm, C.O., Högberg, M. (1992) Variations in ¹⁵N abundance in a fertilization trial: Critical loads of N, Nsaturation, contamination and effects of revitalization fertilization. Plant and Soil 142, pp 211-2