Research

I am interested in understanding the interactions between the different groups of microbes in soil and different environment factors.

During my PhD my research was focus on the effects of wood ash in microbial communities. There are concerns on the use of wood ash on forest soil due to the high concentrations of heavy metals in the ashes. However, this project showed that the effects of wood ash are due to an increase in pH (wood ash has very high pH) and not to toxic effects of heavy metals.

After my PhD I continue working in the University of Copenhagen in the Plant and Soil section. During this postdoc I investigated the interaction of arbuscular mycorrhizal with other soil microorganisms and how this could affect the mycorrhizal transfer of phosphorus to plant. The main objective of this project was to find biotechnological tools to improve plant nutrition through arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and other soil microorganisms and their interactions.

After my first postdoc I moved to Lund University where I investigated how the microbial community adaptation to warming will affect the soil carbon (C) feedback to climate change. Microorganisms play an important role in C cycling; releasing C to the atmosphere due to respiration, but also storing C in soil by microbial growth. The primary factor that determines how microorganisms partition their C-use into catabolic energy generation or for anabolic growth is the carbon-use efficiency (CUE). This C feedback to the atmosphere is probably one of the most critical, yet least known, parts of climate modelling. 

Currently I am working in Roskilde University. Here my research will focus on the role of microbes in soil processes in an era of human-induced environmental change. I will focus on the effects of climate change, soil pollution and different agricultural practices in microbes including mycorrhizal fungi.