Understanding controls on ecosystem structure and function
Our research is motivated by the effects of resource variability on ecosystem structure and function. Changes in the source and supply of resources have profound effects on important ecological attributes including nutrient cycling, productivity, and the way in which species interact with one another.

Focus on microbial ecology
We study microorganisms to better understand the effects of resource variability in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Microorganisms attain high population densities, are extremely diverse, and have fast reproductive rates. Furthermore, microbes have the capacity to evolve in response to resource variability in ecologically relevant time. Together, these fundamental characteristics influence the response of microbial systems to variation in the type, quality, and supply of resources.