Linking trophic interactions in the plant-soil interface
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We look at the microbiota (bacteria, archaea, fungi, and nematodes) and their interactions in the plant and soil interface in the agricultural and natural systems, employing multidisciplinary approaches linking agronomy, soil physicochemical properties, and C and N cycling. The research will be done using a range of experimental setups (i.e. field, greenhouse, controlled environments, and in vitro). We will use -omics and isotopic approaches and also incorporate classical-based methods, including the cultivation of bacteria and microscopic identification of soil nematodes to answer the following questions:
1. How do plants and soil microbiota interact under various biotic (e.g. pathogen) and abiotic (e.g. drought, salinity, etc.) conditions, and how do these dynamics affect ecosystem functioning, such as nutrient and carbon cycling?
2. How do regenerative practices (e.g., soil amendment including biological synthetic communities, cropping system, reduced tillage, etc.) affect the soil microbiota structure and function?
3. Are there trophic interaction features that are deemed resilient and resource-efficient?
4. Are structurally and functionally diverse soils more resistant and resilient to stress events?
5. How do we sustainably manage the land for ecosystem services?
Our research lab aims to study the patterns and processes that control microbiota diversity and their ecosystem functions in various environments under different management practices and stress events. Our short-term goal is to study these patterns and processes across multiple scales encompassing diverse ecosystems and spatial scales influenced by climate, soil type, vegetation, and temporal dynamics. By doing so, our long-term goal is to establish a predictive framework to help us manage our soils into resource efficient and stress resilient ecosystems.
