Microbial Ecology

New research out of the Harvard Forest, published today in Nature Climate Change, sheds new light on the unexpected ways soil microbes respond to climate change. According to the study, led by U. of New Hampshire scientist Serita Frey: as temperatures rise, soil microorganisms release more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, creating a feedback loop that could exacerbate climate

The US Department of Defense (DoD) has granted $2 million to Harvard Forest researchers Kristina Stinson (UMass Amherst) and Serita Frey (UNH) for a five-year study of how soil microbial communities respond to major ecosystem change.

Soil fungi are crucial to the growth of many native trees, but their functions can be easily disrupted by the belowground

Last month, Harvard Forest hosted its first Microbial Ecology Symposium, organized by Harvard Forest collaborator Serita Frey, a UNH biologist. The full day included talks and posters from senior scientists in the Harvard Forest LTER program (Stinson, Frey, Melillo, Ellison, Tang), as well as post-docs, graduate students and undergraduates (including a summer 2011 REU student). Topics included microbial responses to

Harvard Forest was well represented at the 2009 All Scientists Meeting, held at the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park, Colorado from September 13 to the 17th. Highlights of HF participation included:

Working Group Presentations:

• David Foster and Jonathan Thompson led at the Scenarios of Future Landscape Change working group.
• David Foster and former HF Bullard, Jill Thompson presented at