Research in the Lindo Lab

Research in the Lindo Lab focuses on fundamental questions in soil biodiversity. 

Our approach integrates community ecology, ecosystem ecology, and taxonomy to study factors that generate, maintain, and alter pattern s in biodiversity across space and time, and the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem function in soil systems. 

The majority of this research at Western has focussed on boreal forest and forested peatland systems.  In partnership with our Provincial (OMNRF-OFRI) and Federal (CFS-Great Lakes) partners and collaborators, we operate a large-scale climate manipulation experiment near White River, Ontario called BRACE (Biological Response to A Changing Environment).  

Previous and current students in my lab work across a variety of taxonomic groups including microbes (bacteria and fungi), soil fauna (nematodes, springtails, mites), macro-invertebrate groups (spiders, insects), and plant communities.  Other students work on ecosystem-level processes such as decomposition, and nutrient and carbon cycling.