Monday, April 22 | 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Steitz 102
Forest and agricultural soils are home to vast quantities of soil microbe communities, yet we have only scratched the surface when it comes to understanding these systems. Dr. Relena Ribbons’ lab blends tools and approaches from forestry, ecology, biogeochemistry, and soil microbiology to investigate these communities. She will share insights from studies she and her research students have conducted across the region: Bjorklunden’s forest of cedars and maples along the shoreline of Lake Michigan; a network of sites in the woods of Peninsula and High Cliff State Parks; and here on the Lawrence campus, using soil microbiological markers to examine polyculture practices of co-planting tomatoes with marigolds.