Posted on November 11, 2024 in Environmental Sciences Initiative
Soils are the foundation of terrestrial ecosystems, performing a variety of functions that range from supporting agricultural industries and regulating nutrient cycles to storing most of Earth’s terrestrial carbon. However, soil communities and their associated functions are at risk because of increased climatic and anthropogenic pressures that are acting on soil ecosystems simultaneously. Many previous studies have examined the effects of individual stressors on soils, but there is a need for multi-factor studies that address the dynamic and multidimensional impact of global environmental change.
On Wednesday, Nov. 20, Dr. Lucas will talk about how multiple, interacting global change factors shape the communities and functions of temperate grassland soils. We are focusing on warming and drought and their interactions with antibacterials and antifungals, because these compounds are used extensively in ecosystems, ranging from large-scale agriculture to backyard lawns, but our understanding of their ecological effects is severely lacking. She will also present her work on exploring microbial communities that persist along the vertical dimension of forests, as way of determining how global change may shape the future composition and function of our soils.
Join the Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 815 7496 7416 – Passcode: 423404