My research
addresses the role of
soil microbial communities in controlling ecosystem response to global
change. Many ecosystem processes are
known to be affected by environmental changes such as increasing CO2
and increasing nitrogen deposition.
However, very little is known about the ability of microbial
communities
to adapt to new conditions, and whether different microbial communities
may
function in different ways. I examine
the role of microbial community structure in ecosystem processes using
a
variety of molecular, microbiological and biogeochemical techniques.
I
have a diverse scientific background grounded in geology, biology, and
ecosystem ecology.While I consider
myself a microbial ecologist, I seek to address questions that are
interwoven
and inseparable from these other fields.I am particularly interested in addressing questions that will
help to
better predict and manage ecosystem responses to global change.
