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About

Bianca Turcu is a leading researcher in evolutionary ecology and plant–fungal symbiosis, with a focus on the intricate economic strategies that govern mycorrhizal networks. Her work illuminates how fungi navigate trade-offs between network construction costs and resource exchange efficiency, fundamentally reshaping our understanding of mutualistic trade. Her most-cited paper, "A travelling-wave strategy for plant–fungal trade" (2025, 45 citations), introduces a groundbreaking model showing that mycorrhizal fungi employ travelling-wave dynamics to optimize nutrient-for-carbon exchanges across expanding networks—a concept that bridges theoretical ecology with empirical observation. This work has rapidly gained attention for its potential to inform sustainable agriculture and carbon cycling models. Turcu’s contributions extend to quantifying the evolutionary pressures that have sustained these partnerships for nearly 450 million years, offering a fresh lens on coevolutionary resilience. Her research is distinguished by its interdisciplinary approach, combining network theory, bioeconomics, and field ecology. With her innovative framing of fungal behaviour as strategic rather than passive, Turcu is emerging as a pivotal voice in symbiosis research, inspiring new lines of inquiry into the hidden economies beneath our feet.