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 learning more about our research.

Lab News

Nov 20/25 - Emelie's first publication from his MSc is out - read it here in Applied Soil Ecology

Oct 2/25 - Proud to announce Pedro Conceicao passed his PhD Qualifying exam with Distinction! Congratulations Pedro.

June 1/25 - Excited to host Yvet and Carrie from Radboud University (Netherlands) who are visiting PhD and PDF on a collaborative Western-Radboud Grant with Bjorn Robroek; Pedro will be retuning from his vist to the Netherlands next week.

May 1/25 - We welcome Jay Ing as an official Undergraduate Student Research Intern (USRI) for the summer. Jay has been volunteering the past year and we look forward to them having a productive summer.

April 28/25 - It is with mixed emotions that we celebrate the completion of Emily's Honour's thesis and Emelie's MSc thesis. Emily will start a MSc in Sept with Dr. Nusha Keygohbadi here at Western, while Emelie will be moving to Germany to start a PhD after receiving a scholarship at iDIV. Amazing job to both; I'm sure we will continue to cross paths.