A Elizabeth Arnold

A. Elizabeth "Betsy" Arnold is an American evolutionary biologist who is a professor of Plant Sciences and Ecology/Evolutionary Biology at University of Arizona and curator of the Robert L. Gilbertson Mycological Herbarium at the University of Arizona. She researches fungal biology, specifically fungal endophytes, which are fungi that live in plants. She was elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2021.

Early life and education In 1995, Arnold studied biology at Duke University. After graduating from Duke, she spent a year working in Panama to further her research. In Panama, her work was focused on the significance of tropical endophytes in tropical trees.

Research and career In 2005, Arnold was appointed to the faculty at the University of Arizona. She taught fungal biology to a wide range of people, such as: postdocs, graduate students, undergraduates, K-12 teachers, high school students, and lifelong learners. for the School of Plant Sciences and the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Arizona. the very small fungi that live within plants without causing disease, uncovering both the remarkable diversity of endophytes and their potential applications in biotechnology. According to her 2007 study in Ecology, which examines the diversity and ecological functions of fungal endophytes in tropical ecosystems, these fungi are extremely varied and essential to plant resilience and health, especially in tropical leaves, which are hotspots for biodiversity. Her research has helped improve knowledge about plant and fungi interact actions in tropical settings. Arnold has studied these endophytes in trees, crop plants and shrubs in tropical rainforests and the arctic tundra. hot desert. In Winter 2021, Arnold was elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Arnold's research addresses fungal ecology, evolution, and systematics, with a particular focus on the diversity and ecological roles of fungal endophytes in plant communities. Arnold has been executive editor of Mycologia, and served on various MSA committees

In 2021, Arnold was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) for her contributions to evolutionary biology and fungal ecology. Arnold has also been a recipient of the International Mycological Association's Arthur Henry Buller Medal (2011).

She worked alongside François Lutzoni on the molecular ecology and evolution of endophytes in temperate and boreal biomes at Duke University.

From 2022 to 2023, Arnold served as the president of the MSA.

Awards and honors 2002 Alwyn Gentry Award 2011 International Mycological Association Arthur Henry Buller Medal 2011 David E. Cox Teaching Award 2012 Mycological Society of America Alexopolous Prize 2016 University of Arizona Bart Cardon Fellow 2017 Warren Herb Wagner Lecturer in Plant Evolution, University of Michigan

Selected publications