Welcome to our website!

Research in our lab broadly focuses on biodiversity and ecosystem function relationships using soil systems as models. Soils contain the majority of the world’s biodiversity and perform critical functions such as nutrient cycling and carbon storage.

We use a combined approach of large-scale field observations, laboratory, greenhouse and field-scale experimental manipulations, and theoretical approaches to understand how global environmental changes will impact soil biodiversity and function.

As a research group who study the diversity of life on Earth, we place high priority on being inclusive to diversity among students and our colleagues. Please contact us if you are interested in joining our team or learning more about our research.

  

Lab News

Nov 26/24 - Congratulations to João Martin on his successful MSc thesis proposal assessment - mites, crickets, biocontrol... oh my!

Sept. 25/24 - Congratulations to Sam for successfully defending her MSc thesis on climate warming impacts on Sphagnum communities.

Sept 16/24 - Where did the summer go?  A new Fall term and we welcome 4999 Honours student Emily to the lab, and bid farewell to MSc Cristina, who successfully defended her thesis last week, and Paige who is starting a MSc with Dr. Buchkowski here at Western.

May 28/24 - Our Bryophyte review manuscript (with Sam Hopkins, MSc student) is published and open access with New Phytologist  https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.19772

May 13/24 - Happy to have Paige spend the summer with us after their Honour's thesis, and thrilled to hear that Paige will be joining the Buchkowski lab as a MSc in the Fall term.

April 24/24 - Welcome to João Martin who is joining our lab as an International MSc student working on Mesostigmata.